Wake the Dead
by Angelic Zombie
Summary: Blackness consumes all at night. Join an unsucpecting kit as he faces the greatest enemy the forest has ever knwn. Tigerstar is back form the dead, and he has forces mroe powerful than those of the stars under his paws.
1. Allegiances

**T h u n d e r C l a n:**

**Leader:**  
Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**  
Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

**Medicine Cat:**  
Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Jayfeather- blind gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**Warriors **(toms, and she-cats without kits)

Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat

Cloudtail- Long-haired white tom  
_Apprentice: Nettlepaw_

Brackenfur-Golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes  
_Apprentice: Foxpaw_

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Ashfur- pale gray (with dark flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

Spiderleg-long-limbed Black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook)- brown tabby she-cat, formerly of the Tribe of Rushing Water

Stormfur- dark gray tom with amber eyes, Formerly of RiverClan  
_apprentice: Icepaw_

Brichfall- light brown tabby tom

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Millie- silver tabby she-cat, former kittypet, blue eyes

Berrytail-cream-colored tom with missing tail  
_Apprentice: Maplepaw_

Mousefoot- gray-and-white tom

Cinderflower-gray tabby she-cat

Honeyblaze- light brown tabby she-cat  
_Apprentice: Mistpaw_

Poppyfur- tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionclaw-Golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
_Apprentice: Ravenpaw_

Hollysplinter-black she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices:**(more then six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Icepaw- pretty white she-cat with ice blue eyes

Foxpaw- reddish tabby tom with dark amber eyes

Maplepaw- ginger tabby she-cat with white muzzle

Mistpaw- silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Nettlepaw- mute dark brown tom

Ravenpaw- jet black tom with white paws and tail tip.

**Queens:**(she-cats nursing or expecting kits)

Ferncloud- pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes  
(Kits: Mudkit (dark brown tom), Beetlekit(dark gray tom) and Tanglekit (dark brown tabby tom)

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes  
(Kits: Petalkit(white she-cat), Talonkit(ginger tom), Glowingkit(tortoiseshell she-cat), Adderkit (ginger-and-white tom) and Larchkit (adopted gray tabby tom)

Daisy- cream long-furred she-cat from the horseplace

**Elders:** (former warriors and queens now retired)

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

**S h a d o w C l a n:**

**Leader:**  
Russetstar- dark ginger she-cat

**Deputy**  
Oakfur-small brown tom  
_Apprentice: Boulderpaw_

**Medicine Cat**  
Littlecloud- very small tabby tom  
_Apprentice: Dawnpaw_

**Warriors:**  
Roawnclaw- ginger tom

Smokefoot-black tom

Owltalon- dark tabby tom with thick black stripes and large, round yellow eyes  
_Apprentice: Tigerpaw_

Ivythorn- wiry brown she-cat wiht yellow eyes

Tawnypelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes  
_Apprentice: Swamppaw_

Appletail- ginger-and-white she-cat with a a darker red tail

Marshbelly- long-haired jet black tom

Toadleap- secretive jet black tom with a missing eye, tail, and a twisted jaw  
_Apprentice: Flamepaw_

**Queens**  
Snowbird- pure-white she-cat  
(Kits: Robinkit, Jadekit, and Frostkit)

**Elders:**  
Cedarheart- dark gray tom

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

**W i n d C l a n:****  
**

**Leader:**  
Onestar- brown tabby tom

**Deputy:**  
Ashfoot- Gray she-cat  
_Apprentice: Swallowpaw_

**Medicine Cat:**  
Kestrelwing- pale tabby tom with dark yellow eyes

**Warriors:**  
Tornear- tabby tom

Crowfeather- dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes

Owlwhisker-light brown tabby tom with long whiskers  
_Apprentice:Seadgepaw_

Nightcloud- black she-cat

Weaslefur- ginger tom with white paws  
_Apprentice: Thistlepaw_

Hareclaw- long-haired dusky brown tom with white patches  
_Apprentice: Bonepaw_

Heatherpool- pretty pale brown she-cat with violet-tinged blue eyes

Breezecloud- black tom with amber eyes  
_Apprentice: Fastpaw_

**Queens:**  
Gorsetail-very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes

Whitetail- small white she-cat  
(Kits: Rabbitkit, Scarkit, and Yarrowkit)

**Elders**  
Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom

**R i v e r C l a n:  
**

Leader:  
**Leopardstar**-unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy:**  
Mistyfoot- gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**  
Mothwing-dappled golden she-cat

Willowflame- slender gray she-cat

**Warriors:**  
Blackclaw-smoky black tom  
_Apprentice: Skunkpaw _

Voletooth- small brown tabby tom

Mosspelt-old tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Reedwhisker-black tom  
_Apprentice: Sneezepaw_

Beechfur-light brown tom

Rippletail- dark gray tabby tom  
_Apprentice: Runningpaw_

Icewing- white she-cat with blue eyes

Graymist- pale gray tabby she-cat

Pebblepath- white tom with gray patches and gray paws  
_Apprentice: Tansypaw_

Pouncefoot- long-legged black tom

**Queens:**  
Dapplespot- pale dapple she-cat with white paws  
(Kits: Firkit, Pinekit, and Rosekit)

Dawnflower-pale gray she-cat  
(Kits: Lightkit and Darkkit)

Minnowpool- downy gray and white she-cat

**Elders:**  
Heavystep- thickset tabby tom  
Stonestream- gray tom

- - - - -  
Past Events:  
-Cinderflower and Mousefoot both fell in love, becoming the parents of Nettlepaw, Maplepaw, and Mistpaw. These three siblings are the youngest apprentice.

-Graystripe and Millie gave birth to a litter of kits. All four of them died except for Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw is the oldest apprentice in the apprentice's den besides Foxpaw and Icepaw

-Honeyblaze and Cinderflower where so close as apprentices. They had their warrior ceramonies together

-Poppyfur was a moon late on her warrior ceremony due to an illness that kept her inside the Medicine Cat den.

-Hazelpaw died a moon before she and her brothers were to become warriors. She died fending off a small pack of foxes that had found their way to ThunderClan territory. Firestar gave her the name of Hazelstorm as she was dieing, so she could enter StarClan as a warrior.

-Whitewing fell in love with Brichfall and they had a large litter. Her kits are two moons old and so far none of them have gotten sick or have died

-Ferncloud had another litter with Dustpelt. They are the parents of Beetlekit, Mudkit, and Tanglekit. Their kits are five moons old

-Blackstar died in a battle with RiverClan. It was an fiighting with Voletooth, Blackstar was accidently pushed into the lake from a large overhanging above the water. Russetfur leaped into the lake to save him and nearly drowned herself. When Russetfur was finally dragged out of the water, a RiverClan tom suggested looking for her. The tom couldn't find Blackstar and he was then declaired as dead.

-Before Blackstar died, he and Russetfur had a liter. Their kits are Swamppaw and Blouderpaw

-Toadleap was mauled by a fox that got chased out of Thunderclan territory and onto ShadowClan. Toadleap nearly died trying to save his sister, Appletail, from the foxes.

-Snowbird was forced by Smokefoot and is now nursing his kits: Jadekit, Robinkit, and Frostkit

-Greencough started passing throughout WindClan. Morningflower got sick badly and Barkface worked himself to the limit trying to heal her. In the end, both Morningflower and Barkface died.--

-Whitetail fell in love with Weaselfur and is now nursing his kits Rabbitkit, Scarkit and Yarrowkit

-Heatherpool became mates with Breezecloud and gave birth to his kits: Bonepaw, and Fastpaw. Heatherpool never told Breezecloud 'I love you'

-Icewing gave brith to her kits Runningpaw, Skunkpaw, and Tansypaw

-Dawnflower's kit's ceremonies to become apprentices were held off because both of them were born blind. Lightkit was even born with a de-formed leg while Darkkit has clubed feet.

-Dapplespot gave birth to Pouncefoot's kits: Firkit, Pinekit, and Rosekit

-Minnowpool has only just become pregnant with Reedwhisker's kits

-Mallowkit died from sneaking out of camp. Mallowkit found the horse place and was killed by Pip.

-Swallowtail died by foolishly going after her grandchild, Mallowkit. Swallowtail was also attacked by the dog and wasn't fast enough to out-run it.


	2. Chapter 1

What happens when Tigerstarcomes back into the living world? Read mehstory and find out! This is only the prologue of my story and more will come soon!

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An icy wind blew softly over the jagged cliffs, caressing the creamy sand with its devilish grip. The trees rustled together, sharing secrets that they had seen in the forest below. There, in a deep hole cut out of the ground, were thousands of rustling paws and mews of cats. The sun shone on the feline figures, marking their pelts sparkle with brightness. Above the mustering cats sat a bright ginger tom as he sat on his ledge, pelt burning like fire in the warm sunlight. A gentle wind brushed his pelt as he closed his eyes to enjoy its gentle touch. The day was peaceful and all was right. The tom felt like a leaf, enjoying the life it had as it sat peacefully on the tree. As a leaf, you can see everything, and watch over everything. But, like all things of green and joy, one day it shall cripple and die. The wind suddenly shifted, sending fear down the tom's back like the chilling stare of death.

"Firestar!" The sudden call echoed from a thorn tunnel. The ginger tom snapped his head around in horror. There, in the midsts of the prickled tunnel, was a smoky black she-cat racing toward Firestar full speed. Firestar felt the scents of horror shedding off the she-cat like rain. Her eyes were as wide as the full moon, and her paws trembled like fallen leaves.  
"Hollysplinter, what's wrong? Where is Squirrelflight?" Firestar leaped to his feet, his heart thundering to see his bright daughter not with the black warrior.

"Firestar! It's her!" The black cat's hiss was mixed with horror and surprise. "I-I was hunting with her. I left her side for one second to chase a squirrel. Then…Then I heard her scream." Hollysplinter gulped, dropping her head onto her chest as tears poured from her cheeks. "I-I tried looking for her but…but…I-I can't find her Firestar! No matter how hard I look, I can't find her! She just screams, and screams, and screams! I smell her blood! I smell it!"

Firestar's jaw hung open. A large tabby warrior snapped his neck around as Hollysplinter's words penetrated his ears. "No…" The word of distress escaped from his lips. The tabby warrior stood, as shocked and as fearful as the black warrior. His heart leaped out of him, refusing to live under the pain he was forcing down his throat. The warrior's mouth began to fill with lead, making his mind become cross and confused.  
"Where were you last with Squirrelflight, Hollysplinter?" Firestar questioned with authority, ignoring the crowd of eager mews and worried faces. Hollysplinter only shook her head and sobbed harder. The crowd of cats hissed and mewed worriedly, eyes glancing over each other like worried mice.  
"She's gone! I can't find her! She's gone!" Hollysplinter wailed and collapsed on the camp floor, eyes turning red from her endless wails. "She lies, bleeding! She lies, bleeding! She's gone! Gone forever! She lies, bleeding!"

"Hollysplinter, answer me!" Anger churned in the tom's voice. Firestar raised his head, lifting his voice over the sound of worried mewls. "Leafpool! Jayfeather! She's in shock!" The ginger tom called out, scanning the clearing for the two skilled healers.  
"I'm right here!" Jayfeather's tone snapped the bridge of gathered cats like a raven's caw. He squeezed his way past a white queen and a tabby warrior and faced Firestar blindly. His sightless eyes showed no fear, no worry, no grief. He was the calmest cat in the clearing, steadily separating small spiked leaves from a thick stem. Hollysplinter screamed, pushing herself away from Jayfeather with insane fear. While the gray tom worked on trying to calm the black she-cat, Firestar assessed his cats.

"Brambleclaw," He called to the dark brown tabby, voice full of anger and dread. "Take Lionclaw, Berrytail, and Brackenfur as your search party. You will follow Hollysplinter's scent trail and search there. Dustpelt, you Thornclaw and Birchfall will check near the WindClan border. Sandstorm and Brook will check the ShadowClan border with Cinderflower and Icepaw. No one is resting until we find Squirrelflight!"

With that, everyone scattered. The patrols formed and exited the camp in a flurry. Queens exchanged worried glances. What if something had taken Squirrelflight like prey? What if there was another dog pack in their territory? Apprentices watched the warriors leave with wide eyes. Those who weren't chosen to attend a search party walked around the camp with flustered snorts, calming kits, assessing elders, assuring queens and exiting apprentices with quivering fear and excitement. Squirrelflight was strong. They all knew that whatever had caused her to scream like Hollysplinter had describe was something more then a fox or trespassing cat. It would be something they would remember. In the midst of their panic, a pale gray warrior sat as motionless as stone, eye as dark as night in the blazing sun. Another gray shape blended with him as a cat seated herself lightly near his paws.

"Don't worry Ashfur…" The she-cat meowed softly in his ear. "Don't listen to Mousefur and her crazy stories. If a dog pack as big as the one that killed our mother was in the forest, We would of known much sooner then this."  
The gray tom turned his head around to stare at his gray twin. "It's not the dogs I'm worried about…"

Brambleclaw raced furiously past the underbrush, nose working furiously to find Squirrelflight's scent trail. His brown tabby pelt blended with the darkening colored of fall that spread out all around them. The leaves above his head quivered, sending silent messages to the warrior below that only they could understand. Only the leaves know everything that happens below their smooth texture, and only they try to warn us. Alas, there has yet to be soul who can hear their pleas. "Berrytail!" Brambleclaw called over his shoulder to the cream-colored tom, who's eyes were burning bright with fear. "Have you found her scent yet?"

The creamy white tom shook his head. "No. I doubt she was even with Hollysplinter in the first place!" Berrytail narrowed his emerald green eyes, lifting his chin to sniff the stale air.  
"No, she was definitely with her." Brambleclaw turned his head back around to sniff the wind. "Their scent trail was mixed before. But now, it's gone...It's as if Squirrelflight just…vanished."  
Berrytail hung his head, moving a dead leaf slowly under his paws. A golden brown tom poked his head out from a badger set, flicking his ears in frustration. "Don't worry Brambleclaw. We'll find her. Leafpool and Jayfeather are more then ready to-"

The golden warrior was cut off by a sudden yowl. "Brambleclaw!" the brown tabby spun his head around to see another golden tabby warrior appear from a bramble bush. "I found her!"

Brambleclaw's heart leaped like a giddy kitten. "Where?! Tell me, Lionclaw! Show me where!" His mouth worked feverishly, paws clawing at the ground as they begged to chase after her invisible scent. Lionclaw's eyes shook with fear and at first, his paws were frozen to the auburn ground. Finally, he disappeared back through the bramble bush, long tail sweeping in behind him. Brambleclaw raced after the warrior as he trampled the rotting thicket. Brambleclaw could feel Berrytail's hot breath on his heals as they raced after the tom. Thorns and branches grazed his face, but he didn't stop. Berrytail let out a sudden wail a as thick branch scraped his nose. Brambleclaw ran faster, ignoring Brackenfur and Berrytail's pleads for him to slow down. He could tell Berrytail had fallen behind along with Brackenfur, fading into the undergrowth. Brambleclaw bared his teeth, focusing on following the bright mass of golden fur that hovered in front of him. He couldn't let him out of his sights, not until he led him to Squirrelflight. Soon, scents of blood, fear, and death swelled his nose and the frantic breathing of his son found his tabby ears like a fox finding a rabbit hole. The golden tom stopped dead before him as he hung over a mass of fire-colored fur. Brambleclaw gasped in horror, forcing his paws to stop. This wasn't happening. None of this was real. It couldn't be!

There was Squirrelflight, dead on the forest floor. Brambleclaw looked up to his son. "Lionclaw…" He whispered, looking back at his dead mate. "This can't be…" Brambleclaw felt tears cloud his eyes. She couldn't be dead! He stepped closer, looking at her pelt. There was no blood, no bruises, no sign of broken bones, nothing! Brambleclaw leaned in closer. How could she have died? Her delicate face looked so peaceful, yet so filled with pain. Temptation swelled over Brambleclaw's body. Something wasn't right with the way she lay, the way the earth seemed to split beneath her. Biting his furry lip, he lifted her chin with is paw ever so lightly. He stepped back in horror, dropping her prefect head.

"Lionclaw, There's something under her." Without another word Lionclaw was down on his paws, lifting Squirrelflight from her dead nest, like stealing an egg from its humble home. Brambleclaw leaned in to help, making sure the ginger she-cat's delicate body wasn't damaged anymore then it had to be. Brambleclaw let out a low growl as Lionclaw stuck in paw under Squirrelflight, pulling out a tiny object swiftly. There, underneath her ginger pelt, was a claw. Not a normal claw, but a claw carved out of thick wood. Brambleclaw leaned in closer and sucked in the breath around him. The claw had indentation in it in the shape of tiger stripes. He had seen the claw before, he had seen it so many times in his mind. It was the claw, that always followed his dead father. A claw that had followed him since his birth. A curse.


	3. Chapter 2

A colorless light soaked the pebble-stained earth as the sun laid its self to rest. The shore's milky color harden as the hours of darkness slowly began to crawl over the horizon. Firestar felt the pebbles knock and clang under his paws as he walked along the rocky shore. He felt the cold winds blow across his face, gently ruffling his pelt for its own cruel enjoyment. Such a thing used to make him happy, but since the death of his daughter two moons ago, even the sunlight seemed dark and crippled compared to the joy he longed to see. He had neglected his spot as leader, falling away from his Clan in perfect solitude. To think that the death of one cat would change ThunderClan so darkly made Firestar's spine shiver. His eyes filled with tears and his paws quivered. Why did she have to die to such a fate? Who had killed her? Was it one of his own cats? Who could he trust? As these doubtful thoughts danced around Firestar's head, he couldn't help but feel the burden Bluestar had carried before him. This was the true fate of a leader: betrayal and sorrow.

The ginger tom padded to the edge of the lake, wincing as the cold waters lapped at his paws, beckoning him closer. He dared to open his deep green eyes. He gasped taking a step back. His reflection in the crystal waters staring back at him brightly. Firestar bit back his lip and stared at the ginger cat in the water. It wasn't him. The cat had his same ginger pelt, and bright green eyes, but it wasn't him. The cat's face narrowed elegantly and its eyes grew larger and brighter. The cat's pelt bristled with excitement as Firestar leaned in closer. He knew the cat and he knew her well. It was Squirrelflight that stared back at him, not himself.

Firestar shook his head and turned away. "Your Clan needs you…" He mumbled under his breath as the reflection faded away under the rippling waves. "I cannot raise Squirrelflight from the dead. Besides, she's found her place in StarClan and is happy now. She would want me to keep my Clan strong." He said to himself in a low grumble, turning his gaze upward toward the heavens. Sometimes he thought that there was no such thing as a happy life after death. Bluestar had told him once before that all they could do was watch. How could someone stand themselves if they saw the forest below and knew they couldn't change anything?

The clouds moved slowly over head, dragging the cold winds along with it. Sunshine spilled out over each pale white figure, spraying its warm touch on Firestar's shivering muzzle. A sound snapped like lightning form behind him. Firestar twisted his head around, teeth bared and eyes flashing. He sniffed the air with flaring nostrils until he finally opened a single amerald green eye and snarled.

"I'm not alone…"

"Right you are, Firestar." A satisfied hiss called from the bushes. A pair of dark amber eyes glared at Firestar past the brambles, mocking his every breath. Firestar span around and hissed loudly. The pair of eyes didn't even flinch.  
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Firestar demanded, arching his back aggressivly.

Firestar heard a maniacal laugh followed by the shifting of branches. A huge dark brown paw stepped onto the shore, huge claws poking past its slits. Firestar felt his lip twitch with fear as the cat slowly revealed himself. There, with blood dancing around his lips, stood a giant brown tabby with thick muscles that flexed under his broad neck and shoulders. His dark brown tabby markings shone black in the sunlight and his fangs dripped from his muzzle like bloody icicles. The forest seemed to scream in the presence of this tom and the evil glitter in his dark amber gaze. He smiled evilly and raised his head to stare down at Firestar as if he were only a newborn kit. Firestar shivered and hung his jaw open wide. He was terrified at the strong aurora shedding of the awesome tom. "Long time no see, Firestar." The tom hissed slowly, taking pleasure in every word.

"W-who…" Firestar stuttered, staring at the large tom with fearful eyes. He had never seen such a large tom since he had become leader of ThunderClan.

The tom lowered his head to stare Firestar intensely. Firestar felt like he was being burned by the passionate rage that danced in his amber eyes. The tom smiled again, a harsh mew escaping his lips. "Don't tell me you forgot me already! And after everything we went through." The tom laughed, revealing his long, scarlet fangs once more.

Firestar gasped, taking a step back away from the tom. "N-no…!" His eyes grew wider with horror. "Tigerstar!" The tabby tom smirked evilly and raised his head once more.  
"That took you long enough." He muttered with an evil smirk. Firestar shivered and took yet another step back.  
"I-It can't be! But…You…I-I saw Scourge-" Firestar gasped for breath, he couldn't believe his eyes.  
"What?" Tigerstar interrupted him, narrowing his blood-thirsty eyes. "Kill me?" He laughed again, letting his long claws stick out from his pads. "Don't think you can get rid of me so easily, Firestar. I will never leave until this is done…" He smirked again and took a step closer to the bright ginger leader.

Firestar took a step back to match it. "Whatever you're thinking, Tigerstar, it won't work! We've seen worse adversaries then you!" Firestar's hiss shook as it feebly passed through his lips.  
Tigerstar laughed at his terror and stepped closer. "I highly doubt that, my _friend._" He hissed halfheartedly. He took another step, huge claws shining in the sunlight and scarping over the pebbles below his paws.

"I'm warning you, Tigerstar! Don't take another step!"

The tabby tom ignored his words. "I'm going to kill you, and kill again. As many times as it takes until you join StarClan forever!" He snarled, tensing his broad muscles. He lunched himself at Firestar, blood-stained claws extended.. Blood dripped on the cold stones in its sadistic dance, and the darkness of death lustfully curled around every tree. Firestar's wail echoed across the forest in a blood-curling cry. The entire forest was frozen in horror…

Jayfeather walked along the underbrush aimlessly, using his nose and whiskers to find his path. He had left Leafpool back at camp to find tansy and ragwort. He had noticed a low supply in their den, and with Leaf-Fall reigning down on them harder than ever, they couldn't afford to run out of any leaf or stem. He sighed, dragging his paws along the grassy earth. He could tell as the birds lowered their voices that the sun was traveling down the sky, and Leafpool would want him back soon. Just as he was about to turn back, there was a rustle in the bushes ahead of him, accompanied by an earsplitting screech. He froze in place, flicking his ears toward the noise.

Lionclaw burst from the heather, fear vibrating off his golden pelt in such a manner that Jayfeather nearly leaped straight out of his skin. Lionclaw let out a small yelp as his saw Jayfeather leap like a frog and snarled a warning. When Lipnblaze's fur settled, only fear escaped his body. "Jayfeather! Thank StarClan I found you!" Lionclaw breathed, trying to calm his flying nerves.

"What is it, Lionclaw? Did Ravenpaw step on a thorn again during battle training?" Jayfeather spat, annoyed by Lionclaw's obsestion over his runtish apprentice. He was utterly disgusted with Lionclaw's constant bragging about how ferocious he was, even if he only sat quietly and stared at nothing around others. For the last quarter moon Jayfeather had been buried under his brother's stories about Ravenpaw's success and skills and how he would become a warrior way before he turned twelve moons. And that was not the worse; Lionclaw fussed over everything that went wrong with Ravenpaw. He said he was too special to get his first scar from something other then a battle with ShadowClan or WindClan.

Lionclaw spat at Jayfeather, fury glazing his golden eyes. "This is no time for your ill-humor, Jayeather! Firestar's dead!"

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DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!! Ha-ha! Take that, Fire_kit_! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA! I used the quote Tigerstar said before trying to kill Bluestar for when he was about to kill Firestar. :3 YAY!!


	4. Chapter 3

Yeah….well…I'd like to thank every one who's been adding this as a favorite and commenting on my story. It really encourages me. Please enjoy the sexiness that is Jayfeather and please throw rocks at the suckiness that is Hollysplinter and Lionclaw! BOOOOO!!!!!!! Anywhooo..."Firestar's dead!" I believe that's where we left off…yes

-------Jayfeather gasped in surprise, dropping the sour leaves that had hung in his jaws. Lionclaw could see the shock swelling up in his brother's sightless eyes and felt his pelt prickle like pine needles in winter. Jayfeather could still not believe what Lionclaw had said, and tried to imagine him lying. But Jayfeather had spent enough time in his brother's mind to know he wasn't. every word was the truth, but still Jayfeather could not register. "How do you know? Firestar can't be dead! He had so many lives left! How d I know you're not lying?" Jayfeather hissed, shaking away his fear as if it where only a annoying gnat. Lionclaw hissed, taking a step closer toward his blind brother.

"How do you know I'm not telling the truth?" Lionclaw spat, fur bristling and claws flexing. Silence swept through the two cats like the lake's waves falling into cracks of the pebbly shores. Lionclaw didn't tear his eyes away from Jayfeather, glaring at the way the medicine cat's pelt bristled and calmed in a steady rhythm. Lionclaw knew that Jayfeather could not see the burning sensation of his golden gaze, but he prayed that he could feel it.

"Where is he?" Jayfeather finally muttered, giving into his brother's silence. He knew he was telling the truth, as he had told himself before. Lionclaw's mind was just too easy to read, and lying about their grandfather's death was not something he'd do for smites and giggles. Lionclaw sighed in relief, relaxing his golden eyes yet not letting his anxiety leave them.

"He's by the lake. I was hunting with Ravenpaw near the WindClan boarder. Ravenpaw said he smelled blood, so we followed the scent to the shore and there he was, cold as ice on the pebbles. I sent Ravenpaw back to camp to tell the Clan. I knew you were out here getting herbs and came to find you." Lionclaw told his story, trying his best to keep a straight face. Their sister might of went into shock when she discovered that Squirrelflight was dead, but he wasn't going to let Jayfeather see him do the same.

"Yeah, yeah," Jayfeather snarled, swiping a cobweb off a near by tree quickly. "I don't need your stories, Lionclaw. Just take me to Firestar, now!" Lionclaw flinched at his brother's fierceness, but nodded.

Lionclaw bounded ahead of his brother, shouting out warnings to the blind medicine cat as they leaped over logs. They didn't have time to go around or waste time if Jayfeather tripped. Firestar could be still alive, trapped under a stone that had shifted over his legs. If he was, then there would be no need to worry and ThunderClan could keep their noble leader. But what would happen if he was dead? Lionclaw had never heard of anything that could strip lives away from leader like this. He had heard nursery stories about Tigerstar, and how he had died. The BloodClan leader had ripped open his belly and let him die nine times, each time more painful than the last. But Scourge was dead and here couldn't possibly be someone as strong as him…or stronger. Oh, why didn't Lionclaw just wait by his grandfather's body and wait for Ravenpaw to return?

Lionclaw gasped as a branch nearly scratched his face, reminding him to focus on where he was going. He picked up his pace, hearing Jayfeather's paws scramble from behind to keep up. Lionclaw growled to himself, working his paws harder. Why was it taking so long to get there?

"Lionclaw! Slow down!" He heard Jayfeather's grouchy cry from behind him, muffled by branches as Lionclaw raced farther and farther ahead of his brother. Suddenly, his paws were on air. Lionclaw gasped. He had forgotten about the small ledge that separated the shores from the forest. Lionclaw stumbled to his keep his feet solid, body aching on the hard rocks that met his fall. When he got up, Jayfeather was hanging over him with relaxed posture and narrowed eyes. Lionclaw snarled at the look on Jayfeather's face; it was a mocking glare that seemed to scream, 'I told you so.' Lionclaw leaped to his feet and hissed, racing along the shores hastily.

"There's no time for this!" Lionclaw growled over his shoulder, bounding along the sandy stones. "Firestar could be already dead!" Just as the words escaped his lips, he saw a bright ginger shape appear on the shore.

Jayfeather's ears twitched and a low hiss escaped him. Lionclaw knew he could smell the blood that floated so thickly through the dark. Lionclaw stopped as his paws reached his leader. There was no question as they hovered over his limp body. His whiskers were as cold as ice, and his pelt was stained with crimson blood. "Is he dead?" Lionclaw questioned slowly, the gray medicine crouching down to examine Firestar's body.

Jayfeather pressed his ear to the leader's chest and growled. "There's no heart beat. But I can smell StarClan. They're still with him."

Hope flickered in Lionclaw's chest. "Do you think they're healing him?" Lionclaw stared at Firestar with gloomy eyes, noticing the difference the at sparkled daunting over his pelt. He stared at his leader's green eyes, once filled with nobility and wisdom, now stretched wide like a freighted kit. His bright pelt, once as bright a pure as fire was now stained with dirt and blood. Lionclaw shivered at the fear scent still left on his grandfather's dead body. Whatever had attacked Firestar was strong and large. Lionclaw bit his lip, staring at his brother who wearily checked over Firestar's icy pelt.

Jayfeather sighed, baring his fangs under his curled lip. "I don't know who to blame for this!" He growled, slamming his paw on that pebbly earth and making Lionclaw flinch. "Who ever did this smells like ShadowClan. But it's not the ShadowClan here at this forest…"

Lionclaw cocked his head. "What do you mean? There are two ShadowClans?" One was bad enough!  
"No." Jayfeather answered sharply. "It's like a marshy scent mixed with pines. It's an old scent, not stale…just old. Maybe it's the scent of the old forest, the forest that Mousefur and Longtail always talked about."  
"The first forest?" Lionclaw questioned, thinking about the forest the Clans had lived in before he and his sibling were born. He imagined a pair of dark amber eyes and shivered. He suddenly knew exactly who had killed Firestar, and shivered at the brutality  
"There's one more thing." Jayfeather whispered under his breath, dragging Lionclaw away from his conscience. Lionclaw flicked his ears, straining to hear his gray brother's hushed voice. "Who ever killed Firestar…His scent s mixed with death…And it's not Firestar's death that's upon it…"

Silence split the air. Lionclaw stood, staring wide-eyed at his brother. What was he saying? Had this murderer killed before he killed Firestar? Or did he mean something else, something that couldn't be explained. Finally Lionclaw sighed, watching as the light faded away from Firestar. There was no question that he was dead now. Both he and his brother knew it. The whole forest knew it somehow, as if Firestar's life was the only thing that binded the lake together and kept the stars in the heavens. Lionclaw bent down to scoop the ginger leader onto his shoulders. Jayfeather helped him carry the dead leader. Lionclaw hissed inwardly as Firestar slowly slipped of Jayfeather's shoulders and plopped back onto the chilling earth. Jayfeather wasn't much of a help nowadays. He was much smaller then he was as an apprentice and was so skinny he doubted he had any muscles. Jayfeather had stopped eating for a some moons now, only eat if other brought him food and stopped to watch him eat. Lionclaw seemed to be the only one who noticed Jayfeather's refusal to take care of himself. Lionclaw had noticed how he would pretend to take a mouse or two from the fresh kill pile but would only end up giving it to the kits and queens while Leafpool wasn't looking. Lionclaw sighed again, watching his brother walk blindly past the trees. He and Holylleaf were going to address the matter to Firestar. He would've helped him. He helped everyone...

"Stop trying to mask it." Jayfeather meowed suddenly, stopping sniffing the air nonchalantly.  
Lionclaw hissed slightly. "Mask what? I'm not hiding anything!" Lionclaw growled, accused. What did Jayfeather think he was hiding? That fact that he cared about his health?  
"You miss Firestar." Jayfeather meowed again, calmly padding past a bramble bush. "You keep trying to be strong, Lionclaw, but you're not fooling anyone."

"What do you mean? Like how you aren't fooling anyone when you don't eat your prey? What's the point in us catching it if you wont eat it?" Lioblaze hissed defensively, even though he knew what Jayfeather had said was true. He was trying to prove to everyone that he was much more then another warrior with foolish things like emotions, and Jayfeather knew he would mask his sorrow as soon as they entered camp.

"Wait." Jayfeather commanded, stopping dead in his tracks.  
"What is wrong with you!?" Lionclaw spat, nearly falling on his face. What was with Jayfeather's mood swings today? Lionclaw snapped again, but Jayfeather did not listen. He had his nose stuck up in the air, sniffing wildly. Lionclaw watched in silence. What had Jayfeather smelled? He sniffed, but could smell nothing more than the blood and sweat of Firestar. Before he could ask, Jayfeather had strayed away from Lionclaw, leaving him with the dirty body of their dead leader. Jayfeather wondered, sniffing the air with interest, moving branches and brambles as if he could see them as clear as day. He stopped, snapping his head around to stare at a gorse bush. Lionclaw pelt bristled as the blind tom stuck his nose inside, rustling the forest with his shifting shoulders.

Lionclaw's eyes grew round and large as Jayfeather pulled his head back, a pale gray bundle of fur hanging limp in his jaws. "A kit!" Lionclaw wailed, nearly dropping Firestar's body as he longed to race over and sniff it.  
Jayfeather nodded and sniffed the puny kit, its fur sucking into his nose as he did. "They're no milk scents. It's been on it's own for a while." Jayfeather announced. "We should take it back." The gray and white bundle of fur squirmed slightly in his jaw, but soon hung limp again, too weak to mew for help.

Lionclaw watched as Jayfeather walked ahead of him, heading towards the ThunderClan camp. Lionclaw sighed and followed close behind with Firestar's body. He couldn't help but feel the irony burn through his pelt and spread through his whiskers 'Lost a life and gained another…' He thought to himself, feeling Firestar's drag over the earth like a dead stone. If only they could keep him and loose a kit. Life would be so much easier.


	5. Chapter 4

Arg-ish….I'm sorry to anyone I lashed out at. (Especially Peppertail T.T I feel real bad about what I said) I've had a long week. I feel like I have something prove, since my family and my friends seem to expect something out of me each time I see them. So please excuse me -- I can't remember who I screamed at, but if I did, I'm sorry. Just so I don't do it again, I won't be replying to messages or comments from now on.

Anyway, I've realized I've been lacking on my editing (a. lot. ) Hopefully since I've been revamping my chapters the mistakes will get better. Thanks

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At first there was peace. The sun grazed gently over the milky clouds as it turned the sapphire sky pink with its disappearance. The clouds walked slowly among the heavens, like lazy fish in a pond as the sun said its last goodbyes to his lonely yet cheerful world. Silky stones covered the earth like sweet glass, unbroken and clear as it reflected the sun's fading rays. The clouds formed together, sharing their secrets and gossip. The clouds' color changed as they gossiped, turning black with sins for they were no longer under the watchful eye of their father sun. Soon the peaceful sunset sky was covered in sinful clouds, all of them black with greed and slander. Suddenly one of the clouds roared in rage as fake tales were told about him. He roared at the other clouds, and soon more joined in. Soon the black clouds howled at one another, bellowing blood-thirsty threats and omens though flashes of eerie light and loud, booming snarls. Throughout the darkening bawls and growls, sadness crawled up into the eyes of the black and gray puffs for they were overwhelmed with the chaos and lies. Feeling betrayed, the clouds cried together, sending large drops of saddened rain down to earth while they screamed at the night for being so sinful.

Jayfeather and Lionclaw bounded through the rain, their paws gliding past the slippery stones and bramble thicket like mice on an open field. Lionclaw kept his head high, straining to keep a hold on the dead body of his leader. Lionclaw stared past the clouds, wondering if Firestar made it to StarClan's heavenly ranks already. He winced as the rain questioned his bitter staring with a drop to his nose, then into his deep golden eyes. Lionclaw blinked the bitter water away, reluctantly lowering his head. Jayfeather snuffed, twitching as the wet rain soaked his pelt, revealing his weight for what little worth it had. His ribs stuck out of his body and his spine grew sharply along his back like ragged stones resting upon gray sand. Jayfeather could care less for what happened to his fur, nor if cats saw his jutting bones and skinny legs. All he cared about was keeping the small bundle of gray and black fur warm beneath him. The kit was unconscious, dangling limply in his jaws. The kit didn't squeal, or complain, just hung there in a large heap of matted fur.

Jayfeather felt fear growing inside his chest. The kit was so cold under his touch. But it wasn't a chilly touch that most kits caught in the rain; it was a dark, cold feeling, as if the small kit was already dead. It was the kind of coldness that swelled over the cats Jayfeather had seen die before his sightless eyes. Jayfeather feared that was the case. But still Jayfeather could feel the small and steady pulses of life beat off the small tabby creature. Still Jayfeather didn't buy it as a heart beat, instead, to him it was only a hallow thump, like heavy paw steps sounding their eerie thunder in a stone-hard cave.

Jayfeather shook the rain from his whiskers as he and Lionclaw raced on, desperate to get back to camp. Soon the thorn tunnel was in sight, drenched by the pounding rain around them. There was rustling from the other side as cats tried to step outside to meet them. The first cat to see the two brothers was Ravenpaw, his lithe black shape breaking form the thorns like a rabid badger. The apprentice froze his yellow eyes wide with fear and his white paws and tail-tip quivered like leaves in the rain. Lionclaw hung his head, eyes dark and grieving. He knew that Ravenpaw had seen Firestar's dead body.

Jayfeather squeezed past the black apprentice ruthlessly, finding his way into the howling camp. Lionclaw followed soon after him, the silent Ravenpaw dragging his paws behind him. Gasps echoed across the stone walls when they saw the blood-stained body of their leader. Lionclaw sighed along with them, settling the dead body gently on the cold earth.

"Not another death!" Mistpaw hissed, poking her head out of the apprentices' den along with her brother Nettlepaw. She was silence quickly by her mother, Cinderflower as she shoved her misty gray pelt back into the apprentices' den.

Lionclaw side-glanced Ravenpaw as he shuffled uneasily beside him. "How could this happen?!" Lionclaw heard Cloudtail's shocked yowl from near the high rock. Dustpelt, Brambleclaw, and Cloudtail all leaped from the high rock that hovered above the Clan. Brambleclaw's eyes were wide and fearful; he was most likely thinking about leading the Clan on his own without his nobel mentor there to guide him. The tabby cat scrambled down the cliff face ungracefully, stones tumbligna dnc racking out from his wet paws. Dustpelt hung his head sorrowfully as he thought of the hatred he had once showed to the leader and how it slowly turned into respect and loyalty. He would certainly miss the joy he had brought to Sandstorm and wished him well on his journey to StarClan.

"No!" Sandstorm yowled from across the clearing, tears flooding her eyes as she dashed over to the others. She shoved Brambleclaw and Dustpelt out of her way, digging her face into Firestar's filthy ginger pelt. She gasped back her breaths heavily as she sobbed, her tears staining the leader's pelt even more. The rain poured on harder, as if the clouds could feel her undying pain. Sandstorm lifted her head to the sky, the thundering water drowning out her heart broken wail. Water soaked her face and mixed in with her bitter tears. The Clan stared in fear and sorrow as she let another shattering wail into the sky.

"Why, StarClan?!" Her wail croaked out like a broken toad. "Why, why, **why**?!" Her voice became choked as she sobbed out her words in pain. Lionclaw bit his lip. He knew how hard it must be for his grandmother. She had lost so much in the past moons. Her only surviving kin wasn't as close to her as Firestar had been. Sandstorm continued to sob, her words unreadable past her endless tears.  
Leafpool pushed herself past the cat, resting her paw on Sandstorm's jerking shoulder. "Sandstorm, please. You must calm down!" Leafpool said gently, a harsh tinge in her voice. Sandstorm growled deep within her throat, her shoulders shaking as if Leafpool's paw weighed as much as a fat badger. Suddenly, Sandstorm sent up a terrible yowl, twisting herself around as she sent the shocked Leafpool off of her. Sandstorm lashed out with her claws, eyes burning with sorrow and rage. Three new stripes oaf red ran donw her daughter's face as Leafpool flinched away, tears of betrayal piercing through the rain like daggers.

"Sandstorm!" Brambleclaw hissed, leaping on the pale she-cat. Dustpelt and Thornclaw leaped along with him, the warriors' pelts bristling with horror. Under the strength of the she-cat's rage, they struggled to keep her pinned down. She was too blinded buy the loss of her loved one to care what was happening in her real world. "Sandstorm! Calm down! You attacked your daughter, Sandstorm, your _only_ daughter!" Dustpelt hissed in her ear, trying his best to keep her down. In Dustpelt's eyes shown the same glimmer of betrayal, as if the death of Sandstorm's spirit had harmed him more then the death of her mate.

Sandstorm struggled under Dustpelt's grip her eyes watering with tears. Their eyes met, the dark body of Dustpelt quivering with the unsteady breaths of Sandstorm. With a loud shot of thunder she broke down, falling on her side as she sobbed and cried. "It's not fair. He shouldn't die like this. No one should, Dustpelt! It's not fair! It's not fair!" She wailed, neck strained and head plastered with wet tears and rain.

"I know, Sandstorm. I know." Dustpelt whispered in the she-cat's ear, nuzzling her check softly. Sandstorm's cry relaxed under her old friend's touch and soon her limbs calmed, becoming dead logs on the rock earth. Leafpool sighed, placing her muzzle near her mother, whispering unheard words of soothing forgiveness. Sandstorm licked her daughter's blood-stained muzzle quickly before allowing them both to take her away to her den.

Jayfeather sighed, lifting up his head as the rain slowly stopped as well, leaving the skies clear as glory came back into the sinful clouds. The sudden stop in rain shocked him, as if StarClan had swallowed all the sorrow the clouds held in order to relieve ThunderClan from further grief. "What is _that_?" Jayfeather snapped his head back into ThunderClan's earth as he heard Poppyfur's challenging mew from across the clearing. Jayfeather growled, remembering the small kit that still dangled in his jaws. The cats around him had only just noticed when Jayfeather pulled the bundle of gray fur out from his own identical pelt.

"It's a kit." He hissed, ignoring the questioning stares burning into his pelt. He wasn't exactly glad when Lionclaw jumped to his defense. In fact, he would've preferred him to stay in his own place for once.  
"We found it while we were taking Firestar back. There was no sign of it's mother anywhere." Lionclaw added on, facing his father Brambleclaw bravely. "We could've jsut let it die with Leaf Fall ending so quickly! Besides, the rains would've washed him straight into the lake if we didn't help him!"

Brambleclaw flicked his eyes and stared at the gray tabby kit and its black stripes. Jayfeather twitched, feeling his father's thoughts. Reluctantly, he lay the kit down at the tabby tom's paws. Brambleclaw sniffed it and growled slightly. "This kit is dead." He snarled looking up at Jayfeather.  
"That's what I thought." Jayfetaher grumbled lightly, lashing his tail with the deputy's frankness. "But it's alive, believe me. I would know if its spirit had left it."

Brambleclaw shivered slightly, shoving the kit gently with one paw. The kit squirmed, sending up a small mew of distress. "It hurts…" It squeaked, curling up in a tight ball as if trying to keep something inside of him from lashing out and eating the world. Jayfeather sniffed the kit lightly, breathing in its rotting stench. It jeered away from Jayfeather's touch, twisting in the pain that enveloped his tiny body.

"What hurts?" He questioned hastily. The rest of the world faded away, all Jayfeather needed was to help the kit, not caring if anyone else apposed. He gently turned the kit over and sniffed. The kit squealed in pain once more, battle at Jayfeather's muzzle furiously. It was hard sniffing out the kit's wounds, his own smell blocked by the stench of death and blood. Eager to stop the kit's wailing, Leafpool took the kit away from Jayfeather's paws. The small kit shrieked again, confusion bubbling in his closed eyes. He was pleading with Leafpool now to kill him and stop the pain that spread to every corner of his body. Whispering small encouraging words of comfort, Leafpool looked closely at the kit. She nosed him onto his back, only to let out a surprising gasp of horror.

Right on the gray kit's chest was a scar, right where its heart would be. The scar was long and clean. The scar was not a natural heal, for to the healing she-cat, it looked open and ready to pour out blood and puss, yet onlydust fell from the open wound. Someone with even more skills then a medicine cat had stitched this kit, yet Leafpool knew couldn't be the work of a twoleg. Leafpool heart jumped with curiosity, as she continued sniffing the scar. "How did you get this?" He questioned, flicking Jayfeather's shoulder with her tail as a single for him to fetch her herbs. The tabby lingered still, blind blue eyes flickering like an icy flame before he finally disapeared through the crowd.

"I don't know." The kit wailed. "It hurts! Please, make it stop! Make it stop!" The kit complained, fighting against Leafpool's lapping tongue, curling up in a ball once more. Leafpool struggled kept the kit straight, sighing as Jayfeather steadily applied the herbs to the kit's wound. The hearbs did nothing the silence the kit's unbearable pain, and he only screamed louder with fear and apprehension. Leafpool muttered sweet, comforting words in the kit's ears, telling him softly that nothing bad would ever happen to him. But still the kit screamed until finally exhaustion encased his failing limbs. Jayfeather and Leafpool exchanged a spiritual glance, wondering deeply about the case of this kit's odd scar. With a final lick to the kit's head, Leafpool watched as it passed into sleep, it's body still strained with extreme pain.

Brambleclaw hovered over them with a deep sigh, relieved to have its screaming finally stop. "We'll ask the Clans if they're missing a kit next gathering." He announced, staring at Lionclaw past narrowed eyes.

"What if its Clan comes to us? What will we do if they decide to fight?" Spiderleg narrowed his eyes as well. Ashfur nodded beside him.  
"Spiderleg is right. I don't want to spill unnecessary blood!" The gray tom hissed at Brambleclaw viciously.

Brambleclaw kept his calm face planted firmly on his face. "If they come to us, we hand the kit over respectfully and without protest. We still don't know if this kit was even born to a Clan yet, so don't get your hopes to high." Brambleclaw flicked his tail to Ashfur, glaring at him darkly. The two hacklers gave one final snarl but return to their places, waiting for another opportunity to get that thing out of Thunderlcan's camp for good. Brambleclaw snarled protectively before scanning the rest of the Clan.

"Whitewing!" Brambleclaw yowled over the gathered cats, eyes resting on the white queen. Soon her velvety pelt rose from were she lay. She squeezed past the the clustered cats gracefully, sipping her narrow head lightly toward Brambleclaw. She, like everyone else, had to get used to greeting him with respect. Now that Firestar was dead, Brambleclaw would be their only figure of hope.  
"Yes, Brambleclaw?" She meowed delicately, blinking past the mist of the dying rain.

"I want you to nurse this kit. It's about the same age as Talonkit, Glowingkit, Adderkit, and Petalkit. I hope it won't be too much of a struggle for you and your milk." The tabby tom meowed commandingly, staring at the white she-cat and her gentle green eyes. He saw Birchfall's chest puff out in pride at the mention of his kits' names, obviously happy that he now had one more kit to name his own. Birchfall was always one to see strength of first glance, and if he believed that this new, sleeping kit was worthy enough to join his litter, the Clan had its respect.  
Whitewing purred staring at Birchfall longingly. "No, I'm fine Brambleclaw. I've got Birchfall and Ferncloud to help me." Right on cue, Ferncloud pale gray shape squeezed by so she could sit next to Whitewing. Daisy's slender shape soon appeared beside her too and grinned. "And Daisy, too." Whitewing added with a soft giggle, resting her fluffy tail on the older queen's shoudlers.  
Ferncloud quickly cut in, eyes glowing with the pride of a mother. "Let me see our new kit." She beamed, a hint of sorrow in her voice from the smell of Firestar's dead body and the sounds of the screaming kit from before. Though the visions haunted her, Ferncloud did not show her fear but smiled gleefully. Another kit was always welcomed by Ferncloud. "What does he-"

Ferncloud gasped, cutting her sentence short. Everyone turned to look at her. Her green eyes were as wide as the moon as she stared at the gray kit before her. Her breath seemed to be taken away from her body and she stood there with quivering legs.  
"Larchkit!" She cried loudly, eyes growing wider at hte mention of the kit's name. "It's Larchkit! My poor Larchkit!"  
Daisy turned on Ferncloud worriedly, her pelt bristling like ripples on a pond. "Dear, are you okay?"  
Dustpelt turned away from his post by Sandstorm's den, dark eyes gawking at his mate with undeniable confused. "Larchkit? What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's Larchkit! From the last litter we had in the old forest. Larchkit was our first to die, but here…" Ferncloud gasped for breath, eyes growing wider with each word. "It's Larchkit!"

Brambleclaw stared at Ferncloud with a concerned gaze while Dustpelt cocked his head with wide eyes. "Ferncloud…This kit _can't_ be Larchkit. There's no way that he would have lived. Even if he _had_ lived, Ferncloud, he would be older by now." Dustpelt mewed with a raised eyebrow, smiling lightly.

Ferncloud slowly nodded, her crystal eyes pinned on the kits small shape. "But he's just so…" The gray queen trailed off as the gray tabby kit squirmed again under Leafpool's touch. "He even has his same squeal. I would never forget his squeal…"  
Whitewing brushed her bushy tail over Ferncloud's shoulder. "If you want…" She began, green eyes flickering between the kit and Ferncloud. "I'll name him Larchkit. I mean, only if you want me to. It'll be in honor of your kit's death…" Whitewing suggested shyly, trying her best to keep her tone straight. Since her kits' birth, none of them had died or had gotten sick. She knew she couldn't possibly understand how Ferncloud would feel about a memorial for her first lost kit. But Ferncloud smiled, returning Whitewing's gently touch with a sweet brush of her own silky tail.

"Thank you, Whitewing. I'd like that." She meowed gently, her voice still shaky from the sight of the familiar kit.

"So we're keeping it?" Mistpaw hissed, Nettlepaw stalking out of the apprentice's den to glare at Larchkit with her. Spiderleg and Thornclaw hissed, raising their tail with anger. Mousefur shook her head in disapproval from where she sat by the elders' den. Mousefoot growled at Jayfeather directly, sending silent fears down his spine. Cloudtail stood next to his daughter, snarling at anyone who dared scream out about the foreign kit. Birchfall did the same as Cloudtail. If his mate felt so connected to this tom-kit, he would not oppose.

Brambleclaw raised his voice, flicking his tail for silence. "Calm down!" He demanded. One at a time, the cats bellowed settled, turning their harsh gazes to Brambleclaw as he leaped up onto the High Rock. "We don't know for sure if we are keeping this kit. But until the Gathering we have no choice but to keep him. He's young and he needs ThunderClan. Until we are certain this kit has another home, we must treat Larchkit like any other ThunderClan kit. It is what Firestar would've wanted."

Dustpelt flicked his tail. "And if this kit really doesn't belong to any other Clan, then we must get used to Larchkit actually being a ThunderClan kit!" The brown tabby tom added, side-glancing towards Brambleclaw for suport. The tabby nodded to the senior warrior respectfully before resting his gaze on Larchkit. The rain had stopped completely by now, becoming only a cool mist in the shady night, and it swirled around the sleeping kit's tabby pelt.

Brambleclaw shook his head, ripping his gaze away from the tom-kit. "For now we must worry about my lives." He hated to say it for it seemed so arrogant, but it was the truth of the matter. "Firestar is dead. Before I leave, we'll have a vigil for Firestar. I will leave tomorrow morning in order not to waste one moment in Thunderlcan without a leader." Brambleclaw faded his words to a halt, turning his amber gaze to his former mentor. There was so much he had taught him, and now, he feared if he could remember.

Leafpool flicked her tail, looking up from Larchkit as the small kit slept. "I'll get some traveling herbs ready for you, then. But we can take our time, Brambleclaw. The storm will get worse by dawn. If we hurry we can get to the Moon pool but only if we leave now. I'm sorry Brambleclaw but…" Leafpool lowered her gaze.  
"It's fine, Leafpool. I'll leave right now, then." Brambleclaw mewed, voice somewhat broken by sorrow.

"Jayfeather, can you take care of Larchkit and the Clan until I get back?" Leafpool asked him like he was still an apprentice. Jayfeather snuffed, picking up Larchkit wearily with a nod. He passed the silver kit softly to Whitewing. The queen wrentched her nose at the kit's surprisingly rotten stench, but listened closely to Jayfeather's orders.  
"If Larchkit wakes up, take him to me. I want to make sure he doesn't hurt himself." Jayfeather whispered to the she-cat. "Waking up in this new camp will b a struggle for him, but I doubt that with all the trauma he's been through that he'll remember anything."

Leafpool dashed into her den as Jayfeather spoke, gathering traveling herbs for the journey to Moon Pool. Moon pool wasn't too far, but Leafpool had a feeling they would need it. Whitewing watched the medicine cat before disappearing in the nursery, Larchkit swaying in her jaws. It was crowded with young kits, each one with excitable, glowing eyes. Ferncloud's bouncing kits leaped all over Whitewing, demanding to know what had happened. Whitewing smiled softly at the kits but ignored them, gently pushing her four kits toward her. She laid Larchkit gently next to her belly, trying to warm his cold fur with her pelt, but to no avail.

A dark brown tabby kit sat up and curled his nose. "Who is he? Why does he smell so bad?"  
Another brown kit stumbled over and sniffed Larchkit's cold tabby pelt. "Why is he so cold?"

Whitewing flicked her tail, silencing the eager kits. "This is Larchkit. He's going to be staying with us for a while." She explained in a sweet tone to Ferncloud's rambuncious kits. Larchkit flinched as a white she-kit poked him with her tiny paw. Whitewing pushed the small kit away with a stern glare.  
"Petalkit, I don't want you hurting Larchkit. He's very tired and wants to sleep, alright?" Whitewing mewed as she eye-balled her white kit.  
"Yeah, Petalkit!" the brown tabby stuck out his tongue.

"Be quiet, Mudkit, before I hurt you instead!" Petalkit flung herself at Mudkit, playfully batting at his ears. A tortoiseshell she-kit let out a joyful squeal, leaping into the fray of brown and white. The last ginger and white kit paused for a while, keeping close to his mother. Suddenly the three kits rolled over the ginger-and-white kit, forcing him and his identical ginger brother into the play-fight.

Whitewing laughed, watching the kits play. She kept Larchkit close to her body, making sure that the cloud of kits did not trample or bother him. Ferncloud walked lightly into the nursery, gathering her three kits from the playful tussle and giving them each a stern look. Whitewing quickly did the same, but ended up only licking her kits ears out of pure love and joy.

Ferncloud flicked her tail at her three little sons. "Beetlekit, Don't be so harsh in play fights. Remember that Petalkit and her siblings are much weaker then you." Ferncloud warned her gray tabby kit.

Petalkit pulled herself away from her kin, batting at the air like a furoucious badger. "No I'm not!" She squealed, flinging herself at Beetlekit's freckled pelt. Beetlekit howled in surprise, rolling over onto his back. Beetlekit's two brothers laughed at their tabby brother.

"Hey look Tanglekit. Beetlekit's getting beat up by a 2-moon-old." The brown kit laughed, flicking his brother's shoulder as Petalkit roared as fiercely as she could.  
Tanglekit returned his laugh, brown pelt bristling with amusement. "A _she-cat _2-moon-old at that!" He added with a wide grin.  
Beetlekit reached up with his white paws and swiped his brothers' noses. "I'd like to see you do this! She's a monster!" He giggled, tossing Petalkit up at his grinning brother's with one swipe of his paw. Ferncloud opened her mouth to scold but Whitewing flicked her tail to stop her, enjoying the kits and their play.

Petalkit squealed in delight, standing up tall in the clustered den and squealing a battle cry. Talonkit broke away from his siblings and joined in with his sister's thundering cry. "Charge!" He yowled, leaping at the two older kits. Tanglekit and his dark brown brother, Mudkit squealed in surprise, landing on their back just like Beetlekit. The nursery was a large ball of mixed fur as another battle between the liters took place.

Whitewing curled around Larchkit, suddenly fearful for the squirming kit. "Talonkit! Please all of you take this outside! Beetlekit you know not to use claws! Adderkit, stop it!" She hissed, curling into a tight ball. Ferncloud laughed and gently separated the kits.  
"Come on now. Continue your fight outside and I'll let you three taste your first mouse when Daisy gets back from her wondering." Ferncloud mewed in a gentle voice. Her three sons nodded, herding the other four small kits outside with a furious play-yowl.

"How did you have so many liters?" Whitewing gasped as the last of her kits disappeared.  
"Kit will be kits. But I have to admit, I've never really raised a liter bigger then two or three." Ferncloud purred, rolling her eyes toward her four kits playing outside. "Four kits are rough, but your four, plus my three, plus Larchkit equals a very crowded nursery."  
"I'd say…" Whitewing gasped, dropping her head with a thump on the nursery floor.


	6. Chapter 5

Sorry this is late arg I mean...this is REALLY late! well...enjoy your reading. I hope to die of shock at the end! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! 9not really. I love joo!))

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Larchkit started running faster and faster as a black wave flood his vision. His heart pounded madly as the long looming trees hung over his head, calling out his name eerily. Larchkit squealed out a low moan. He missed the white pelt of his mother and the warm scents of Glowingkit as she batted at his tail, and the way Petalkit snapped at Talonkit and him for picking on Adderkit. His lip quivered. He missed it all. His heart felt like falling in his throat and his paws wants to fall off his body forever, leaving him to die on his own. Larchkit couldn't hear anything, only the constant screaming of his name from the black skies above him. Tear swelled at the beginning of his eyes, causing his legs to tremble. He didn't know where to go! The same trees would always be in front of him, as if he wasn't moving at all.

Suddenly a sharp voice, different from the eerie call of the trees, rung out in his ears. "Tigerstar, why do we wait? If what you say is true and this 'tigerclaw' is real, why aren't we in the forest yet?" Larchkit skidded to a halt, straining his ears to hear the strange voice from far away. Larchkit gasped, seeing a tunnel of thorns he had never seen before. As the voice continued, he walked into the small tunnel. He winced as thorns tugged at his pelt and ripped his skin, revealing scarlet drops of blood. But he dared not scream past his nervous bit lip. His paws moved faster, seeing the end of the tunnel. He stopped dead, spotting a large tabby tom, glaring off into the distance. Larchkit nearly yowled in surprise to see thousands of cats surrounding him with wide and egger eyes.

"I agree with him." Larchkit strained his ears to hear a tom's strong meowed from the crowd. "The tigerclaw can't be trusted! Tigerstar was lucky that it didn't turn on him."

"But it didn't, Hawkfrost! It trusts Tigerstar! Surely He can do more then what he says he can!" Larchkit's paws quivered at the sight of a large white tom with black patches that glimmered in the light-less world. Around the tom's neck were tons of tiny teeth, each one stained with blood. And, in his paws were long and sharp dog teeth and claws to replace his normal and much weaker cat claws. The tom stepped out the crowd, glaring at Tigerstar with questioning eyes as a short black tom crouched hissing beside him.

The brown tabby glared at them through squinted eyes, but his body didn't flinch. The black and white tom continued. "I say Tigerstar is selfish! Just like he was when he acted as if BloodClan belonged to him! I vote we take this tigerclaw and see for ourselves what must be done!"

The black tom growled with satisfaction, glaring at the brown tabby tom with his bright blue eyes. The brown tabby tom, whose name now clearly was Tigerstar, did not flinch again. He only sat there, eyes pinned on the two toms with teeth hung around their necks. Finally, the tom sighed and raised himself off the ground. Tigerstar lifted a single paw, a thick wooden claw slipping out as if it was his real claw. Larchkit could barley see the claw from where he hid.

"Come now, Bone, Scourge. You aren't calling your dear, old Tigerstar a traitor now, are we? Because if I remember correctly, it was _you _who betrayed me all those years ago…" Tigerstar smirked as the low hiss escaped his lips.

Bone shivered, eyes pinned on the wooden claw in Tigerstar's pad. Scourge growled, his own eyes pinned on Tigerstar. "You can't _still_ be thinking about that! We need each other to get out of here!" Scourge hissed.

Tigerstar smirked wider, revealing long, blood-stained fangs. "Correction: _You_ need _me_. And who said I was going to let you come with us?" Tigerstar bared his fangs, lowering his head so that he was face-to-face with the short tom. Scourge took a step back and hissed loudly. With a flick of his tail, the rest of the cats were surrounding them, blocking Larchkit's vision through a see of tabby and black pelts.

The last thing Larchkit hear was a scream, curling his blood and freezing his heart…

Larchkit jumped from his nest, sending scraps of moss everywhere. He heard Glowingkit's scream of surprise as moss battered her tortoiseshell pelt. Whitewing stirred from her sleep, eyes wide with fear as she examined her kits. Glowingkit shook her pelt and helped Adderkit get moss off his pelt as Larchkit sat panting in the safety of the nursery. He purred lightly as Whitewing nudged him with her muzzle, proving that he was indeed awake. A slow and steady whisper escaped him as he sighed. "Only a dream…"

Whitewing purred, picking Larchkit up steadily and placing him next to her belly. "It's okay, Larchkit. It was only a dream. I'm still here with you." She purred, happily licking his pelt.

Petalkit moaned, yawning as she awoke from her slumber. "Why do you always have to get nightmares?!" she growled lazily. "I'm tired of you waking us up every time I barley get my eyes closed! It's madness I tell you!"

"Stop being crabby, Petalkit!" Talonkit hissed, picking up from head from where he slept. "You're waking everyone else in camp!"

'Oh, shut up!" Petalkit hissed. Whitewing picked her up harshly and placed her at her paws. One stern glare and Petalkit was already begging for forgiveness with her own 'sorry.'

Larchkit yawned and poked his nose out of the nursery. "Great, StarClan! It's already sun-high!" He exclaimed. Glowingkit and Petalkit gasped, both of them clawing out of the nursery wit excited eyes.

"Where's Beetlekit?" Petalkit beamed, her bright green eyes scanning the clearing furiously.

"Forget that! Where's Mudkit?" Glowingkit beamed with just as much enthusiasm. Glowingkit pushed Petalkit down, her eyes darting to every bush and tree.

Inside the nursery, Beetlekit let out a wide yawn and Mudkit shifted in his den. "What? Who's calling us?" Beetlekit mewled, still dazed with sleep. Larchkit sighed, rolling over on his back. He didn't understand why his sister loved those two. Petalkit was the worse between the two of them. She kept on changing her crush from Ravenpaw, to Tanglekit, and now Beetlekit. Larchkit feared it would never stop. The gray tabby kit laughed, rolling around on his moss as the darkness from his dream slowly faded away. Talonkit laughed along, pouncing on Larchkit as he rolling in their springy beds. Larchkit smiled, batting at his brother with his paws. At least he knew that his family was always there for him.

Suddenly a large flash of tabby fur raced before Larchkit's eyes. He threw Talonkit off of him and watched as Tanglekit, Mudkit, and Beetlekit raced out of the nursery. Larchkit stuck his pink nose out into the open, watching as Glowingkit and Petalkit drooled over their crushes as they passed them. Bramblestar was perched on the high rock, his deputy Dustpelt lingering near on the ground below. Dustpelt's eyes shown with pride as his kits stepped proudly out of the nursery with Ferncould. The gray queen licked Beetlekit, pulling clumps of moss out of his pelt as Daisy whispered encouraging words to Tanglekit. Icepaw and Foxpaw exchanged glances with a smile. Suddenly Larchkit realized what was going to happen.

"Foxpaw, Icepaw, step forward." Bramblestar announced strongly. The two apprentices dashed up to the edge of the High Rock, eyes gleaming with excitement. Larchkit knew that both Foxpaw and Icepaw's ceremonies had been put off for more then 5 moons from the time they were meant to become warriors. Larchkit knew them must be excited.

"Foxpaw, Icepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?" Bramblestar's question mew echoed of the cliff walls, filling Larchkit's ears with his demanding mew. Larchkit marveled Bramblestar and his power over the Clan. He had heard from his mother that there once was a leader named Firestar, who was related to him. Apparently his grandfather, Cloudtail, was this 'Firestar's' nephew.

"I do." The two words rung back into Larchkit's mind. He watched as Foxpaw and Icepaw replied to Bramblestar's question. Larchkit spun around, feeling the cold touch of his mother, Whitewing.

"Larchkit, Talonkit…Why don't you come inside the nursery, I'll stay in there with you for this ceremony." She prompted.

"Aw, Mom! At least let us see who Beetlekit's mentor is going to be!" Talonkit moaned.

Larchkit ignored both of them, returning to the ceremony. Bramblestar was already beginning to step down, finishing off the last of Foxpaw's warrior speech.

"-you will be known as Foxtooth. StarClan honors your loyalty and skill and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on Foxbreath's head. Larchkit stared in wonder. This was his first warrior ceremony he would see. Finally, Bramblestar turned to Icepaw. "Icepaw, from this moment forward you shall be known as Icestrom. StarClan honors your allure and speed and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Larchkit's spine shivered as the Clan began chanting the cats' names. "Foxtooth, Icestorm, Foxtooth, Icestorm!" The words swirled around his head. He sighed, digging his face into his paws. He didn't of someday being one of them, earning a warrior name and serving his Clan like his sisters and brothers. In fact, the thought of even becoming an apprentice made his paws shake with fear. Something always made his heart cold whenever he saw two apprentices hopping around the clearing, talking about nothing but becoming warriors. Surely there was something more to life then training and serving your Clan? It was like everyone had the same path down the same road. Larchkit hung his head, mind clouding with the dark thoughts. There was no point, no point at all.

Bramblestar's thunderous yowl awoke Larchkit, sending him back to the ceremonies before him. "Mudkit, Tenglekit, and Beetlekit come forward." His proud voice boomed. Larchkit watched as Ferncloud's sons stepped up to the tabby leader, loyalty shining in their matching green eyes.

Bramblestar straightened his posture, looking down at the three brothers. "From this day forward, until each of them has been given a warrior name, these kits will be known as Mudpaw, Tanglepaw, and Beetlepaw." Each of the wild, new apprentices pricked their ears at the sound of their new name. Larchkit didn't understand why they would care. Their name was the same as every other apprentice in the forest.

"Brightheart," Bramblestar's booming voice called for the ginger and white she-cat as she sat next to her mate, Cloudtail. "You have proven you train an apprentice with Jayfeather. but his path led a different road. I leave you to the mentoring of Beetlepaw. Train him well."

Larchkit hear Beetlepaw snort and mumble to his brothers, "But I'm not blind _or_ crippled! By the end of the moon I'll be begging Jayfeather to take me in as _his_ apprentice!" His brother's snickered as Brightheart trotted up to Beetlepaw, leaning down to touch his pink nose.

Bramblestar continued. "Graystripe, you have proven to ThunderClan that you are just the warrior you were before you left. Pass your knowledge and skill to Tanglepaw until he becomes a warrior." Graystripe nodded respectfully, a glint of anger and jealousy in his yellow eyes. Tanglepaw mocked his brother with a flick of his tail as he touched noses with his mentor.

"Finally, Dustpelt shall mentor Mudpaw. You are my mentor, and you have proven your battle and hunting skills many times over as a ThunderClan warrior and StarClan honors you. Pass on all of this to you new apprentice." Bramblestar mewed sternly. Mudpaw stuck out his tongue. He had won in the contest for the greatest mentor. The only mentor better then deputy was leader himself, but Bramblestar had taken in no other apprentices after becoming leader.

Larchkit yawned as the clearing slowly broke apart. He flicked his brother's shoulder, releasing another yawn. "I'm going to go ask Mousefur for a Clan story. Wanna come?" He sniffed, his gray pelt untouched by the blazing wind that emptied into the ThunderClan camp.

"No thanks." Talonkit blinked. Larchkit could see his eyes pinned on Petalkit and Glowingkit as they drooled over their crushes. I'm going to go see if Adderkit wants to throw moss balls at Glowingkit and Petalkit." Talonkit smirked, his eyes blazing with mischief.

"Go ahead." Larchkit smiled faintly. "See if Petalkit find it funny when you get a spur caught in her pad again."

Talonkit shivered. "I don't think there ever was a she-cat as short-tempered as Petalkit." He shook again; glancing over his should to stare at their white sister.

"Well, I'm going." Larchkit sighed, turning around to head for the Elders' den. Mousefur seemed to be waiting for him, her wiry pelt grazing the outside of the elders' den as Larchkit approached. Sun glimmered on the elders' pelt, and her eyes were closed as if enjoy her moment of peace. Larchkit cared nothing for her peace.

"Hey, Mousefur!" He yowled as he came within two paw steps of the old cat.

Mousefur's eyes snapped open and her pelt prickled with anger and shock. "Where? What? What do you want?!" Her voice rasped the blazing sun-filled air.

Larchkit ignored her hoarse snarl as he walked closer toward the brown she-cat. "I want a story." He meowed, eyes narrowed and his voice straight forward. He puffed out his chest and lowered his head, flexing his petite paws as the shined in the sun.

"Where are your manners?" Mousefur hissed, her croaky voice stinging Larchkit's ears.

"I forgot them in my den. Now hurry up!" He hissed back, making his tail puff out. Mousefur gasped, narrowing her yellow eyes. Suddenly, the slender shape of Longtail stepped out between Mousefur and the foolish kit, his sightless eyes hidden behind closed lids. Larchkit hissed, seating himself as he began grooming his tabby pelt.

"Larchkit, Mousefur is right. You shouldn't be rude. Now, since you seem so eager for a story…I wouldn't mind telling you a few." Longtail spat his words out like a raging river, and Larchkit was barley able to read them clearly. But the blind tom simply turned back around, padding deep inside the elder's den, Mousefur following close behind.

Larchkit shrugged, slowly padding into the cozy elders' den. Longtail was already seated, Mousefur grooming with a venomous glare beside him. Larchkit sat down, his gray tabby pelt ruffling in the stiff air on the den.

"So what should your story be today, Larchkit?" Mousefur began, her voice acrid with mild hate as she looked up from her grooming. "Perhaps the story of TigerClan's stripes. You always used to like it when I told it to you and Petalkit."

"Actually, I have a request…" His voice was weak as he inched closer. He narrowed his green eyes, watching the floor as a lazy beetle scrapped along the green moss. He stuck out his paw and flicked the beetle away before returning to his two elders. "Was there ever a cat named…Tigerstar?" He questioned, his dreams still floating around his mind.

He bit his lip, seeing Longtail's sightless eyes widen and Mousefur's whiskers droop with shock. "I knew him…"Longtail sighed, his slender tail dragging its self across the dirt floors in a rhythmic pattern. "He was a good cat. I thought he was…But he changed."

"He never changed, Longtail. His ambition was always a dangerous fire that no one could water-down." Mousefur stoked her tail along the blind tom's back, her gaze turning to Larchkit slowly. "Tigerstar was a ruthless tom. He betrayed the leader of ThunderClan, oh so many seasons ago. Our leader, Bluestar, was almost killed by him. And, when he was exiled from ThunderClan, he became leader of ShadowClan…Then he decided that ThunderClan had to pay…"

Larchkit shivered as Longtail continued for Mousefur. "He brought forth a pack of dogs. But these dogs were huge, with long fangs and blazing eyes. Back then I had the eyes to see them…and the heart to fear them. I tried to warn the deputy at that time, Fireheart was his name, about the attack. He wouldn't listen. In the end, a nursery queen and young apprentice died at the paws of the dog pack. Fireheart was the one to devise a plot to rid the forest of these terrible monsters. Our leader, Bluestar died trying to save Fireheart from one of the dogs. In the end, both she and the dog pack fell off a large cliff in the land called the gorge."

Longtail paused.

Larchkit's heart leaped, anticipating his continuation. "But the worst was Tigerstar's final act of ambition. He wanted power and wanted all of it. He tried to force the forest into one Clan, so he alone could be leader of it. He called it TigerClan-"

Larchkit interrupted Longtail, his own little gray tail lashing back and forth. "But everyone knows that StarClan wants four Clans!" He protested.

"Tigerstar didn't care." Mousefur hissed, her amber gaze glaring at the roof of the den, as if lost in thought. "Tigerstar almost succeeded in making four Clans one. He brought a Clan called BloodClan into the forest. Their leader was Scourge, his deputy was Bone. Tigerstar was foolish into bringing them into the forest like he did. In the end Tigerstar paid with his life under the claws of Scourge. Everyone was shocked when they found out that Scourge was so powerful, that he could take nine lives from a leader so quickly."

Larchkit cocked his brow. Tigerstar died at the paws of Scourge? That couldn't be right! In his dream, it was _Tigerstar_ who had slain Scourge. Larchkit looked as his paws, his cold eyes pinned on the ground.

"Larchkit?" The gray kit snapped his head up, hearing Longtail call his name. "How did you know about Tigerstar?" He asked suspiciously.

Larchkit gulped. He couldn't just tell him he saw Tigerstar in a dream, especially since his dream wasn't something that happened in the past. He gulped, narrowing his eyes and looking away. Past the mossy entrance, he spotted Dustpelt and Sandstorm exchanging words. His mind popped, suddenly clicking into his body.

He snapped around to face Longtail, his eyes wide slightly. "I heard Sandstorm and Dustpelt say his name." He lied. Longtail's posture relaxed as his words poured out. He believed him. Larchkit sighed triumphantly, curling his tail over his paws.

Suddenly a yowl broke the silence in the elder. Larchkit's ears pricked upward, his mind bottling with worry as both Longtail and Mousefur jumped to their feet in haste. He did the same, jabbing his out side. Before his vision could fix on the clearing, he was being shoved aside by Mousefur and Longtail. He grunted, falling face-first as the tow elders bounded out of the den. He looked up wearily; see the hastily paws run before his weak paws. He gulped back. He felt no pain, no chills, no beating inside of himself. Then everything became a black shadow of nothing…


	7. Chapter 6

Eh…It's sorta gruesome but eh shrugs blood is good in this way :D so if blood makes you squeal, make someone else read this for you and tell you very 'gently' about what happened ;) sorry it's late! It might suck. Just a warning!

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"_But how…"_

"_They're dead."_

"_Exactly. Now, the tigerclaw is complete. 'Only when death has been committed inside death can the claw reenter the world.' Those were the words of Soul, so very long ago."_

"_Then that means…We are free!"_

Larchkit's eyes opened on the spur of the moment. Red and white light filled the darks of his eyes. He tried to breathe, but his hot pant came right back to him in a loud and heavy gasp. All he could see was fields of white fur, curling around his gray face. He felt the warmth of blood stick to his paws as his breathing got harder. All he could hear was the terrified mews of his siblings and the feeling of their fur rubbing up beside his. Everything was cramped and dark. He could feel confusion all around his useless body. He took a long gulp, twisting around in the small clamp of white fur that enclosed around his diminutive body. He stuck out a paw suddenly, desperately trying to break free from the suffocating field of colorless fuzz.

Suddenly, cold air hit his paw and the scents of forests filled in nose. His paw was free! He poked his muzzle out, using his extended leg as a guide. He suddenly realized that the force field of fair blurs was his mother's soft pelt as she curled around her kits in a terrified manor. He looked up at his terrified mother, his cold blood chilling his limbs at the look in her green eyes. Larchkit dared to clear his own eyes, twisting his body around to gape at their camp. The clearing of ThunderClan was stained red with horror and blood filled his weak nostrils. Suddenly a sound came to his small ears

"So there's our tom!" Larchkit heeded an earsplitting snap from a ruthless, yet strangely familiar voice roar like thunder. He forced his eyes to focus as he spun around frantically. There in front of him was a large tabby tom with bright red scars across his burning golden eyes. His fangs glittered with scarlet blood as his piercing eyes glared at Larchkit maliciously. His tail loomed high over his head, breaking in a sudden bend near the middle. His tail reminded him of a broken branch that had hung over the nursery until Bramblestar ordered Sandstorm and Sorreltail to remove it. The tom smirked evilly at Larchkit, as if he was a new-born mouse trapped under the weight of white stones.

Suddenly a loud scream reached his ears. Larchkit found his green gaze lowering toward the tom's paws. The tom had a soft cream shape under his massive paws, like a bug under a rock. The shape squirmed, sending deafening shrieks for help as blood soaked its body horrifically. Larchkit's eyes grew wide as he recognized the withering shape. It was Daisy, her fragile body ripped and broken like prey. Scarlet water stained her once flawless body, and when she snapped her head around to stare at Larchkit, nothing but holes were there where her eyes should have been.

Larchkit close his eyes gulped in fear. He felt Whitewing shake and shiver as Larchkit tried to free himself from her grip. He had to get away! Something was calling his name, like an invisible siren. Before he could get a single paw out, the tabby tom bounded over to him and his mother. Larchkit let out a surprised mewl as Whitewing was shoved aside by the tom's massive paws, leaving Larchkit and his siblings exposed to the horrifying sight.

Larchkit opened his eyes, forced to stare at the once peaceful ThunderClan camp. Bramblestar was struggling under the paws of a massive black tom with blood red eyes and an evil smirk. The tom held the tabby lead firmly under his paws, yet looked so calm he could be holding a bird by its wings. Ferncloud bawled pitifully with shocked eyes as Mudpaw, Tanglepaw, and Beetlepaw lay weakly on the ground, bloody and wounded. Cloudtail and Brightheart fought desperately side-by-side as rouge surrounded their blood-soaked bodies. The camp was surrounded by rouge cats, each with scars that looked incurable, but yet, no blood oozed from their wounds. Only red-brown dust leached from their bodies. Death wreaked the air, yet Larchkit could see no casualties on either side.

Suddenly, Larchkit felt sharp needles pierce his pelt and felt the world leave his paws. He twisted in mid air, the sound of his mother's wail of protest filling his ears. He was caught in the tom's jaws, struggling for his life. The tom only laughed maliciously, his voice like thorns scraping ageist chalky stones. Larchkit wailed as a sharp blare pierced his ears. The sound wasn't the tom, but a high-pitched melody, like a cat screaming at the top of their lungs. He snapped his head around to see Whitewing crawling on the ground to try and save her kit. Only now did he see that her legs were cut and bloody, torn apart as if a giant cat from Starclan had tried to eat her like a mouse.

Larchkit's mind filled with horror. His mind bottled with misunderstanding and alarm, like a den so filled with squealing kits that it was about to burst! Larchkit tried curling up in ball to make the noise stop, but the tom had a tight hold on his neck. Larchkit squeal in pain, feeling his ears begin to bleed.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud. Larchkit found himself in the air, falling for split seconds before hitting the camp floor harshly. Whitewing was around him in an instant, wrapping her long, slender body around his shaking figure. Larchkit shut his eyes tightly, unable to move or think straight until his breath settled. He looked up. He didn't have to climb this time to see the confused world around him, now.

He saw the brown tabby shape of his father, pinning the darker and large tom that had picked him up. The clearing seemed to gasp so hard, it stole all the air from the earth. Birchfall was clawing at the loner tom, his eyes blazing with anger. The tom didn't flinch. Larchkit was surprise to see no blood fall from his wounds, just the red dust from before.

"Birchfall…" The tom hissed maliciously, his smirk never fading. Birchfall's eyes grew wide, his paws frozen on the tabby's shoulders. Larchkit could see his father's legs begin to tremble madly as the tom began to laugh.

"H-How did you know my name?" Birchfall demanded. But, before the tom could answer, Birchfall was being swept off his paws by a large white she-cat who had leaped out of no where. Birchfall yowled, falling on his side from the force of the powerful female. The white smirked as the broken-tailed tabby sat up, completely unharmed. The loud screeching suddenly stopped in Larchkit's ears and he lay almost unconscious in his mother's arms.

The tabby tom lifted his mighty head, sending up a terrible cry in the night. The rest of the rouges repeated his yowl and began disappearing into the darkness, their stealthy paws barley making a rhythmic scratch on the stone floors. Larchkit closed his eyes, panting hard as hiss mother's fur engulfed him like a wave of white.


	8. Chapter 7

sigh I feel out of it...I need to get to the main plot line soon or I'm going to KILL myself. Of course if I kill myself the story will never finish :3 muahahahahhahahahahahahahaaaaa...HA!!! i couldn't be _that_ evil, could I? Oh, I think so : D ahem Anyway, enjoy this chapter...thing...a...mer...BOB!!! twitch head cocks I saw joo sleeping last night O3O joo were nude...anyway...uh...sorry this is late. I wrote it all out but then...my computer froze before I could save it (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) and then I got grounded from the computer (rips hair out) Then I got writers block (kills self six times over)  
PS-spelling might be very bad T.T

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Larchkit opened his eyes. He felt strange. It was the first time that he had ever woken up without the sound of the cats swirling around his ears like flies. His limbs felt weak as they lay plastered against the stones benith him, drenched in blood not of his own. His eyes were barley able to stay open, as if heavy wieghts had been placed ontop of them. His sides were cold and bare, no movement flickering to life in his small gray body. But he felt no pain, no death crawling up his spine, no worry or remorse. He felt only emptiness, tingling in the tips of his claws and stalking through his empty vains. He suddenly felt a pain in his heart, longing to hear the voice that he had learned to welcome close to his heart. He remembered the large tabby tom, his paws overwhelmed with a large wooden claw. He remembered his cold and malious eyes, glaring at the two cats known as Scourge and Bone. He only wanted to hear Tigerstar. He was the one who huanted his mind each night.

Suddenly, Larchkit felt the air leave the room and heard the fimilar gasp of his gentle mother. He slowly turned on his back, his eyes still glazed over like glass marbles. "Larchkit!" Whitewing wailed, pressing her muzzle on Larchkit's fragile body. Larchkit flinched, lifting a small paw to bat at his mother's vibriant pink nose. She ignored him. "Oh, thank StarClan you're alive! I thought you were dead! I'll never let you out of my sights again! Oh, Larchkit!" Larchkit moaned as Whitewing rubbed her muzzle across his small body, rufflig his dried fur. She kept on rambling, her words slurded together as if she was on the vergde of tears. Larchkit rolled his eyes and laid back, finally giving up in his struggle.

"Whitewing, please!" Larchkit closed his green eyes, hearing the protestive mew of Leafpool. Whitewing lifted her muzzle off of Larchkit slowly to glare at Leafpool, leaving Larchkit free of his overly loving nuzzle. "Larchkit is still weak. You must let him rest!" Larchkit sighed, rolling back over on his side, part of him glad that Leafpool had saved him from to much of his mother's love.

"Listen to Leafpool." Larchkit opened a single leaf-colored eye at the sound of Jayfeather's raspy voice, sharp and to the point. "I'm surprised that Larchkit didn't squish like a beetle under your fat muzzle!" Larchkit smiled slightly. Jayfeather sure had guts. He liked it. Jayfeather seemed to be one of the only cats that understood him. There was something conecting them, he knew it. But what was it? His thoughts were interupted by Whitewing's short gasp. Larchkit looked up at his mother's crossed look. She snarled slightly before turnning and walking out of the den, his fluffy white tail trailing in the reeds before she disappeared. Leafpool bent over and licked Larchkit's cheek softly.

"Thanks for 'saving' me." Larchkit sighed, rolling over on his back once more so he could look up at the pale brown tabby. Leafpool smiled sweetly, pulling back to look at her fellow Medicine cat. Jayfeather snuffed and turned his head away. His sightless eyes amazed Larchkit. They were so blue, like the sweet sky. But yet, they were so hard to read, so unclear. No bird could ever fly in the fog of Jayfeather's eyes. Larchkit quickly turned away, as if Jayfeather would see him staring.

"Leafpool?" Larchkit raised his small voice. "What happened?" He asked, narrowing his green eyes in tiny slits. He sat up straight, shaking off bits of moss and bracken from his pelt. The room suddenly became the Place of no Air. Jayfeather stood frozen, his long legs shaking slightly under the new presure. Larchkit could see the worry in his blue eyes. Jayfeather's jaw was open ajar, letting his air escape his lungs. He looked like a still statue of stone, weakly awaiting the time of it's crumbling. Leafpool wasn't much better. Her eyes were wide, the sparks that usually danced within them dead like embers. The fur bristled along her back so that she looked like she had a tiny brown fire upon her spine. Larchkit began to wonder if he should have kept his mouth shut.

Finally the silence broken, Jayfeather's lips feebly movingto the air passing his mouth. "Those loners," He began weakly. "They surrounded the camp. You rushed out of the elder's den but Longtail trampled you out of his own fear." Larchkit watched Jayfeather's claws scrap the stone floors of the cave. "You passed out. Whitewing protected you with your siblings but she couldn't do it alone." Jayfeather flicked his tail, anger fflipping off of him like waves.  
Leafpool took over, her courage climbing back into her body. "Daisy tried to help." Larchkit flinched at the name of the queen.

"Is she alive?" He couldn't help but ask.

The two medicine cats hung thier heads. Larchkit sighed, his body trembling at the memory of Daisy's blood body. Leafpool spoke again, her voice lower ttis time. "Her wounds were to bad. That loner ripped her apart so bad that even if she had lived, she would have to drag three of her legs around and try to walk on only one. Plus her eyes were..." Jayfeather flicked his tail nervously, forcing Leafpool to stop. She gulped, licking Larchkit's ruffed fur gently. "I wont tell you the details." She whispered.

Jayfeather quickly continued from where the older medicine cat left off. "The battle lasted forever until you woke up. That tom seemed to finally notice you then. I'm sure you know what happened after that. After you passed out, _again_, the loners left. Only Daisy died from the attack. Bramblestar held a meeting saying that apprentices and new warriors couldn't leave the camp. He sent out Dustpelt, brackenfur and Sandstorm to look for them. Only to make sure they were out of ThunderClan territory, not to fight."

Leafpool sighed, her tail soothing stoking Larchkit's head like waves aganist a sandy beech. "They haven't come back yet. But I'm sure they're fine. Dustpelt may be...quick to jump but..Im sure that Brackenfur will calm them down and tell that moused-brain furball what numbers in battles mean." She let a small murrow of luaghter echo in her thraot.

Jayfeather hissed. "This is nothing to luagh about." He snarled, his gray fur bristling lupon his long tail. Larchkit watched as Leafpool flinched slightly, her eyes remaining calm. Larchkit could tell she was used to this. "Those loners can come back at any time! And with Bramblestar only sending out ta three-cat patrol, it's not like any of them'll live to come back and warn us." Jayfeath continued, his tail lashing avbot wildly. Larchkit stared after it, his throat clonged with worry for the older tom and for the cats on patrol. Was Bramblestar really so moused-brained into sending out such a small party? If one cat could tear daisy apart to easily, how would Dstpelt, Brakenfur,a dn Sandstorm end up at the paws of all those other loners?

A small call of a bird broke the silence. Larchkit turned his emerald gaze toward the Entrance of the Medicine Cat den. his eyes floolowing the tiny stream as it lead toward the camp. The bird chirped again, so peacefully and sweet that one would guess that there was no choas in ThunderClan's camp what-so-ever. Larchkits closed his eyes, senting the air. He could smell nothing. He shook his head. He could never scent anything. Warriors braged about smelling mice before they killed them but Larchkit couldn't even believe that there was something sush as a 'scent.' As far as he knew, the warriors were lieing.

As Suden as death, there was a low moan echoing from behind him. He snapped his head around, eyes wide. He knew the sound but he prayed that it wasn't who he beiled it was. His pas were scrambling on the ground, his bosdy rittling with panic as his eyes met the horid seen before him. Cats lay bleeding before him. Hollysplinter lay still, her hind leg twisted but not broken in a strange angle. /graystripe and millie were sleeping beside eachother, blody scars scattering their entier bodies like leavesa on the ground. And worst of all, the one cat that Larchkit didn't want to be hurt...

There lay Glowingkit, one of her front legs missing, staining the rest of her body with scarlet blood. She graoned once more, the cobwebs on her body barley able to keep her inards inside of her. He took a heavy step back, his mind racing with unknown emotions. Why? Why was Glowingkit hurt? she had nothing wrong in the past! She was innocent! Why?! Screams echoed inside Larchkit's head, argueing and wailing like a camp full of hungery, new-born kits. The voices danced like dangers in his head, rattling over the inside of his skull until they finally morfed together. In a flash the bhiggh pinch scream was back, crawling like needles all over Larchkit's body.

"No!" He growled, eyes blazing with pain. "No! AH! It burns! Make it stop! Make it-GAH!" He nearly colasped on the floor as he yowled for help. The more he screamed, the louder the noise became, making him scream in even more pain. His mind felt like it was slowly begin ripped out of his head like flesh from a mouse's rotting corpse. His vision blurred like a heavy fog in winter. He could see both Jayfeather and Leafpool stumble, racing to come help him. He screram louder, falling backwards and out of the den. He crouched over himself, shivering on the ground, the noice slowly clawing away at his sanity. He felt something graze the tips of his fur on his spine. He jumped tom his feet,wailing at the top of his lungs. He looked at the bloody mass of dieing cats around him, leftover from the bloody battle that had taken palce. He felt tears edge their way to his eyes as he screamed in even more pain as blood tatooed his mind like an eerie scar. The noice screamed at him, like it was all his fault that Glowingkit was hurt and that Daisy died.

He found his paws running,trying to break away from the sound as it screeched at him. He felt wind whip his face as punishment for running away, but he didn't care. Soon the cold feeling of stone under his paws vanished and grass rubbed over his pads. He knew he was out of the camp but he didn't care anymore. He could fall down dead right then and threre and he wouldn't care one bit. As long as he got away from the the screech, he was happy. But the scream clung to him, mocking him as it ripped him apart piece by piece.Suddenly, something hard slammed aganist his face, knocking his mind out of his skull.

He lay, hurting and broken on the ground. His sight left him compleatly as he blackout into a dreamless sleep...

Larchkit snaped awake, darkness engulfing his dark pelt, mud soaked into his pelt, staining his fur. The sound was gone but the panic hadn't left. This wasn't the nursery. it wasn't a dream. He snapped his head up to find thousands of blood-red eyes glaring at him in the darkness. He tried running but something held him in place. He looked at his body and yowled in shock, finding long mud-stained roots twisting their way around his body, dragging him into the black pits. "Let me go!" He wailed to the eyes, but they ignored him. His face landed with a 'plop' in the mud as a heav root wrapped around his neck, tugging him backwards. He screamed in horror as more and more roots

"Soul, he's not of the starless place." He heard the raspy bark from within the red glares.  
"It doesn't matter, Blackness. We must do what the tigerclaw comands." A clear yet eerie hiss responded.

"But he's an innocent!" The raspy bark snapped like a spilting piece of bark. Larchkit screamed again, hoping that the voice would hear him this time. But they didn't. Roots began blocking his vision but he refused to give up yet. He struggled, squirmed and yelling at the top of his lungs, biting at the pieces of root that tried to engulf his mouth and jaws.

"Silance!" The sweet hiss comanded. "Does that look like the eyes of an innocent?! Th tigerclaw has doomed him, Blackness. There's no escaping it!" Suddenly, two roots lunged at Larchkit's throat Larchkit tried to scream but in vain. One root coiled around his lower jaw, pulling and pulling at it until it was ready to be ripped from his skull. The other root stuffed it's self down his thraot, making Larchkit gag on his own screams. He stuggled to break free once more but it was no use. Finally he gave it, feeling roots wrap around his limbs, dragging him deeper and deeper. Soon mud was engulfing his eyes and filling his open mouth. He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to leave...


	9. Chapter 8

If you haven't noticed, my frist 8th chapter was deleted due to suckiness. I acsedently downloaded the crappy file instead of the real one TT.TT ANyway, this one is (hopfully) much better. Also, I'm bored...so...you guys ever heard Three Days grace? Aren't they awesome XD most of their songs remind me of Larchkit sometimes ENJOY OR DIE!!

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Larchkit found himself in emptiness, floating in pure darkness. He was expecting to be dorwning, mud filling his breathless lungs and churning in his burning stomach. Instead, he felt nothing. He was free of the eerie screeching that raked the inside of his ears, free of the black feeling inside of his heart. He was finally free, yet he felt so chained inside. He kept his eyes shut, daring not to see what was around him, what was making him float, what was making him feel. He feared the sight of the blood red eyes glaring down on him in displesure waiting for their chance to rip his tiny body to shreds. He gulped back, wishing that whatever was holding him would just let him die. Let him die and be in peace. When he died, his body's trouble of keeping him alive would end and he would finally-

His thoughts were cut off by a small mewl of a kit. He snapped his eyes open, a new feeling filling his chest. He looked around a warmly colored den filled with the dried scents of milk. Fresh moss scattered the dens, their cat scents stale and crippled. A wall of bracken and undergrowth blocked the entrance, letting in only the strongest rays of sunlight. A gray figure lay in the middle of the den, three kits scratching at her belly in a desperate attempt to get their own share of milk. The den was filled with the muffled cries of the small kits, not yet old enough to understand how to truly speak cat. The gray queen made no movements as she lay on her side. Her eyes were empty, full of hunger and sorrow. A dark brown tabby entered the den, a small bird in his jaws. He slowly dropped the skinny prey at the queen's paws. Larchkit cocked his head, recognizing the two cats. Who were they? Why were they so familiar? When suddenly, it clicked.

"Ferncloud! Dustpelt! What's going on?" He yowled to the Thunderclan warriors, but they seemed to not hear Larchkit. Larchkit was only watching, he wasn't truly there and he could feel it. He grew closer to his mother and stared at Ferncloud as she slowly ate the bird that was to skinny to even be called prey. Why did Dustpelt give his mate such skinny prey? Didn't he care about her? Surly there was enough prey in the fresh kill pile? It was still Green Leaf...wasn't it?

Dustpelt parted his jaws slightly to speak to his beloved mate. "How are the kits?" He questioned.

Ferncloud just sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I dozed off for a little bit. " she meowed flatly, twisting herself over to stare at the small bundles of fur that curved around her belly. Two of the kits squealed in displeasure as they were pulled away from their milk. Yet one kit lay still, it's tabby gray pelt only shifting as it's mother's fur brushed past it. Ferncloud stared at the kit, her eyes full of worry and dread. Dustpelt's eyes grew larger as the kit still refused to move. He reached out a paw, prodding the small creature gently. Still it didn't move an inch. He tried again in vain. The kit was only pushed to it's back so it's parents might be able to stare at it's lifeless eyes.

suddenly Ferncloud realised a mournful wail into the air, shattering the hearts of all who heard her. She continued to sob, urgently nudging the small gray kit, pleading with it to wake, yet it remained dead at her paws. Dustpelt stumbled back out of the den, his green eyes wide. Larchkit could hear him fall to the earth once he was out of the den, sounding his own wail to alert the Clan outside. He heard the rushing of paws as a Clan seemed to be running toward the small nursery. He could hear small voices questioning Dustpelt as he silently wept.

"Larchkit is dead!"Dustpelt screeched into the sky. Larchkit's eyes grew larger. Larchkit? Who did he mean? It couldn't possibly...suddenly, Larchkit found his vision zooming in on the dead gray kit until he was face-to-face with the cold and lifeless cat. He felt his mind begin to bottle up with questions that threatened the burst out of his mouth right then and there. Larchkit nearly screamed as he realized that the dead kit, the kit that was starring back at him...

Was himself.

Larchkit awoke with a start, his eyes flickering across the bare grassy den. Everything seemed normal. He was back in the nursery, protected by thorns and woven grass. He rose to his paws to see Glowingkit staring at hm with worried eyes. "Larchkit? She meowed gently. It felt good to hear her voice again, yet the images from Larchkit's dream still haunted him cruelly. He ignored his sister and looked around the den. Petalkit and Talonkit stood side by side, staring at Larchkit strangely while Adderkit shuddered in the corner, obviously scared of Larchkit. Why where his siblings staring at him like this? What had he done?

Suddenly he found himself being tackled by Glowingkit who proceeded to cover him in wet licks of joy. "Larchkit! I'm so happy your okay!" She mewed happily. Larchkit yowled, looking at the rest of his siblings who didn't seem so pleased to see him awake. He bit his lip, gently pushing his sister who seemed to be so much larger then him off of his delicate body. Glowingkit still hovered over Larchkit, a habit she must have adapted from their over-protective mother, Whitewing.

Larchkit sighed, letting his head hang from his newly found exhaustion. "Where am I? What happened?" He questioned calmly, pretending to have a headache to add effect to his already pitiful appearance.If they thought he was sick, he might as well play along, right?  
Glowingkit leaned in and licked his head gently yet he could tell it was filled with concern. "You ran out of camp screaming something about 'making it stop.' Bramblestar sent out a search patrol right away and found you in a big puddle of mud. Apparently you ran into a tree..." Glowingkit trailed off and looked at her siblings. Larchkit cocked his head. Was that the reason for his crazy dream about the roots that seemed to be dragging him under a black pool of mud and dirt. But if that was all, why did Petalkit, Talonkit and Adderkit seem so scared of him?

"What are you guys staring at?" Larchkit curled his lip, glaring at his siblings harshly. They remained quiet, filling the den with and eerie silence. Not even Glowingkit spoke, only hung her head in what seemed to be shame. Larchkit's eyes flickered to each of his siblings, looking for some sort of answer.

Finally Petalkit stepped forward, her pure white fur shining in the dim light that entered the den. "You kept on screaming in your sleep." She meowed flatly.

"Is that all? Of curse I was screaming in my sleep! I hit my head on a tree after having a nervous break-down! Who wouldn't scream?" Larchkit hissed,glaring up at his white sister.

Talonkit leaped to his sister's side, his fangs bared. "Not the way you were screaming! You were screaming about death!"

Petalkit nodded, her eyes narrowed on Larchkit in pure hatred. "You said that you like how Daisy was tortured and killed and that you wanted to kill all of us! Even Bramblestar was scared when you started screaming!" She growled "I think you wer posseded, and you still are!"

"Mother always said that cats speak the truth in their dreams! " Talonkit hissed. "How can we trust you after that?"

Larchkit was taken aback. His own siblings feared and hated him for things that he had yelled in his sleep? He didn't remember saying such things. In fact, none of those statements were true. Why would he want to kill his brothers and sisters? Or say that he enjoyed Daisy's death? The whole camp saw the blind broken-tailed tom do it, not him! Surely not everyone was scared of him for a few things he spat out in his dreams? Right? As his mind bottled to the brim with internal questioned, Glowingkit leaped to his side once more, gently licking the tips of his ears.

"Don't say that!" Glowingkit protested, rage in her clear blue eyes. "Larchkit would never be that black-hearted! He's our brother!"

"No he isn't Glowingpaw! Get that through your thick head!" Petalkit sneered.

"What?" Larchkit questioned, narrowing his vidid green eyes. "Glowing_paw_?" He growled. "Not your brother? Have you gone mad?!" Larchkit couldn't understand why he had woken up in a world where everything was so wrong, where everything seemed to hate him. He snapped hiss head around to glare at Glowingkit, who hung her head sadly, hiding something from Larchkit's eyes. Larchkit sneered, looking at the rest of his so called 'siblings.' Petalkit and Talonkit had their chest extended and chins raised in order for them to glare down at the smaller Larchkit. Even Adderkit seemed to be hiding something as he shuffled his paws nervously on the coarse ground.

"We were made apprentices after you ran off into the forest. Bramblestar said we needed more cats to defend the Clan in case the loners came back." Informed Glowingkit, giving in the the awkward silence. "I didn't want to become an apprentice without you but I couldn't disobey Bramblestar's word..." She trailed off, finding it harder to speak. Larchkit stared at her in disbelief. But He and his siblings weren't six moons yet! Not until the next gathering would they turn the right age. But Larchkit did not show sadness, only hung his head as he silently slipped out of his den, betrayal burning in his lungs. He could not bare to be lied to anymore.

He gazed into the light morning air, the camp was slowly recovering. Whitewing was able to walk on her hind legs, and Mudpaw was even beginning to practice fighting moves with Tanglepaw while Bettlepaw remained healing outside the medicine cat's den. Dustpelt was helping Cloudtail and Thornclaw fix the camp's entrance while Hollysplinter, Mousefoot, Berrytail and Cinderflower fixed broken dens. The prey pile was exceptionally high, a crow and two fat mice being added to the mix as Lionclaw and Icestorm returned from a short hunting trip. All seemed peaceful and sacred. Larchkit was only a rotten piece of crow-food thrown into a mix of flowers, each one striving to survive. He didn't belong anymore.

Suddenly, he felt something brush his side. He snapped his head around, jaw dropped. There stood a large black wolf, it's muzzle streaked with a vibrant white stripe the stretched to cover it's eyes. And oh those eyes. Those empty black eyes that engulfed Larchkit into darkness, lost in a sea of ebony. It's claws were white, scraping the pale sand on the camp, leaving invisible marks on the earth. It was staring straight at Larchkit, it's strong neck flexing and glistening in the bright sun of the sky. Larchkit felt a shiver crawl up his spine as he was forced to stare into the black and greedy eyes of the large creature.

"Don't look at me." The wolf growled harshly. Larchkit's eyes widened but he obeyed, turning his head swiftly away from her. "You may be able to see me, but your Clan mates can't. Don't speak to me either. You'll only draw unneeded attention to yourself." Larchkit gulped aback at the smooth and lovely rasp that rung in the wolf's tone. It was nothing like he would have imagined of a wolf that spoke cat. He would have thought it to be filled with raspy and coarse barks, sliding and bumping over it's words. But this wolf... it was so clear and neat and even alluring to his mind. Plus, it sounded familiar and gentle, like a voice he had heard once upon a time.

"My name is Soul, guardian and judgment of of dead souls. I have been sent to teach you of your destiny. Now, walk to that rain puddle. Don't ask questions." The black wolf continued. Larchkit dipped his head slightly and stalked toward the cold water. He stared into the water, seeing the dark and mysterious reflection. He saw not himself, or at least he thought it not to be. the cat staring back at his had dark, murderous eyes, gleaming with a type of joyous rage that sent a tingle up his spine. He fangs were bared and his shoulders moved mockingly in a crackle of laughter. Larchkit gulped back, who was this cat?

"The cat you see before you is none other then yourself. You _will _become who you see now." Larchkit bit back a wail of protest as Soul continued bitterly. "The tigerclaw will change you, yet myself and my brother are unsure if the effects will be permanent. For now, you must be told the truth. Tigerstar found you unconscious and commanded me and my brother to take your spirit into our re-birthing ceremony. It is impossible for a dead soul to live without being re-birthed every new moon. After your re-birthing, I sent a dream of your past before you were allowed into the living world once more. That kit you saw dieing...That was you."

Larchkit's eyes grew larger. So he was right! That kit that died at the paws of Ferncloud and Dustpelt...It was him! Larchkit bent down to shatter the snarling image of his future self, lapping up tasteless water as Soul continued. "You died many moon ago in a famine of the forest. Twolegs invaded the old forest of witch you were born, leaving your mother Ferncloud without milk. You were the weakest kit and died before the rest of her kits. Britchfall is not your father, but instead your brother. Your 'family' has no idea of who you are. All they know is that you were found soon after the former leader died. The Clan was scared of this being an omen. They have no idea how right they were.

"You _had _lived in StarClan, though I doubt you have any memory. Tigerstar ripped you out of StarClan; a first in all of history. In fact, the blaze in the night sky is what your Clan mates used to find your current home today. How did he do this? You don't have to ask, I shall answer. Long ago, when the world of your Clans began, Blackness created a claw made out of wood. I have always watched my brother create things, and I have always put life into his creations, giving it a soul to breathe. But this claw...We made it together, pouring our life into it together and carving it only out of the wood from our sacred Tree of Rebrithing. It was then that we doomed the world. The new clans began fighting over the claw and it's powers. It's power and the long gashes and texture of the claw reminded the cats of their great ancestors: the tigers. Therefor, it was named the tigerclaw, and was held as a sacred claw of the living world.

"Me and my brother watched in sadness of what we had created. All of the Clans, even tribes and bands from other skies and lands came to fight over the unreal tigerclaw. The tigerclaw had many powers beyond belief. The wielder could command the dead, bringing souls back into their bodies, or send a soul out. They could decided witch sky the soul would walk: tarClan or the blackness of the land of witch me and my brother had once walked alone on. They could heal wounds or create ones of unspeakable pain and suffering. It could cure the blind, deaf or mute or straighten the legs of the crippled and deformed. Oh so many powers you could hold. And so many that are still unknown to the living.

"Surely me and my brother, Blackness, had believed we were doing good for StarClan and their disciples. We thought the tigerclaw would heal, not destroy. But, it did more then kill. It doomed the forest. The tigerclaw was alive. It would kill its wielder if kept alone for too long without blood reaching it's stripes. If it was unhappy, it would torture the cat inside until all life inside of them had disappeared form the knowledge of anyone. Alive or Dead. It commanded even me and my brother. If it's wielder or it's self told us to do something, we had to do it. We were chained like slaves.

"One day, all of StarClan banded together, giving us enough strength to return to earth one last time to snatch the tigerclaw before anyone else would be harmed. The memory of the dreadful claw was wiped away from their memories and the claw it's self was locked away. I hid it deep inside the blackness of the Dark Forest, away from the cats that wondered there. That's why I make cats who have been rejected by StarClan wonder alone. If they banded together, they would find out about the claw's powers and rule the skies of StarClan. Unfortunately, that's just what happened.

"Tigerstar was named after the tigerclaw only by destiny. The tigerclaw began to speak to him as he wondered the dark forest alone. He began learning the tricks of the spirits, following souls as they drifted into sleep, and visiting the living world, if only a ghost or illusion. But soon, the tigerclaw led Tigerstar to it in the place I _thought_ was heavily guarded by the demons of the sky. Somehow, Tigerstar got past the demons and straight to the claw. He took it and then was gifted with complete control and knowledge. He gathered all of the dead spirits and planned to escape into the living world, to take over once and for all. Tigerstar came to me and I told him that the tigerclaw would not escape the Dark Forest, but only when death has been committed inside death it's self. I also said that there was only one cat who would be able to tame the tigerclaw to obey his commands. He only smirked and walked away.

"The next I saw him, he was hanging over the dead bodies of Scourge and Bone. I klnew that he had taken my word and that now he was truely going to take over the lives of the souls I made." Soul paused, shifting the air with her breath. Larchkit gulped back, lifting up his head. He leaned toward her, but stared at the sky, wondering about the world that lay beyond.

"This is all I can tell you, chosen one. Your destiny will reveal it's self to you when the time has come. And do not be sad that you are dead, for you will be alive with the light of hope." Soul barked slowly and sweetly, her faint image disappearing into a tiny shimmer of mist in the glistening sun. Larchkit hung his head. Why was he cursed like this? First he was born from death, the loners atatcked his clan to try and kidnap him, his siblings don't trust him anymore, and to make matters worse, he's dead. Nothing else could make his day more perfect.


	10. NOTICE

NOTICE:

I want to thank all of you who have stuck with me in my [horrible] continuations and chapters of Wake The Dead. I know I haven't updated in _Forever_...But, I am willing to continue if you, the fans, want me too. Just to let you know, I wont be making a new chapter in a while, instead I'll be re-vamping each chapter until I get their true potential out. I have become a somewhat better writer since I've started this story, and even though it will most-likely never come true in the real books, I'm egar to finish it and get on to bigger and greater things

Thanks again,

Your Angelic Zombie ^w^


	11. Chapter 9

Yay! Update! And Larchkit's even more emo then ever! YAY!...AGAIN! I got boerd trying to revamp adn only got up to Chapter 4 -sighs adn curls up in emo corner- How could I have been so ilterate? HOW?! Anyway, I'll update those later. And I have good news! You'll ha- OWIE! -chair breaks from under her- -gets up and types about chair breaking from under her- TT-TT StarClan must hate me today. Anyway, read at the end for the 'good news.' -snickers and fades away into the darkness-

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The cold winter sun blazed outside of the nursery, its white glow like a blanket of warm ice on the camp as it peeked over the gray twilight. Larchkit had not slept the night before, but instead had lain awake, staring at the humble vision of his mother. _No_, not his mother, _Whitewing_. His heart felt hardened and his mind was blistered by the scars of loathing from the very mention of her name. The words of Soul still echoed in his ears, reminding him of the lifelessness that was hidden under his pale fur. Why had Whitewing and the others lied to him? Why had they kept the secret of his discovery hidden for so long? She had posed as his mother for far too long, even pretending to care halfheartedly for his worthless life. This whole time she had been lying to him, hoping he wouldn't turn out to be a monster like the eerie omens had predicted. How wrong she was, oh how wrong she was. He _was_ a monster. He had _been_ a monster from the very second Tigerstar had ripped him out of StarClan and hid him miles beneath the earth, waiting for the perfect moment to use his new 'tool.'

Whitewing peeled open her glowing green eyes slowly, a small smile forming on her narrow face at the sight of her only 'kit' who had yet to become an apprentice. The gray tom sat there, his own, lifeless eyes glistening with an unreadable emotion. Whitewing's stared, puzzled at Larchkit's dark, demonic glare that clawed at the very threads of her soul. Suddenly, she let out a loud, earth-shattering shriek as her sleepy green eyes finally rested upon the ground beneath her. There, encircling her sleeping body, were thousands of bloody, rotting claws, each pointing toward her with gruesome malice. Whitewing's terrified yowl broke the dusky air like lightning as she scooped up Larchkit and raced out of the den. Larchkit squealed as she held him, laughing underneath his terrified yelps. As they raced into the open, they found cats already gathering around them eagerly, eyes wide with the sight of their bone-chilling horror.

Larchkit grinned inwardly. It was a small token of revenge, but revenge none the less. Yes, it was the true, Larchkit had placed the claws around his 'mother' as she slept, but only to see her squeal and rant on about "StarClan's omens", and maybe even regret taking Larchkit in as her son. Either of the results were just enough to justify Larchkit's newly found hatred for Whtiewing. Of corse, finding those bloody claws was not easy. He did not rip them from his enemies' paws, snarling at their bleeding bodies just as the broken-tailed tom had done with Daisy.(Though he wished he could) No. Eternally immortal as he was, Larchkit had not grown from the size of a three-moon-old kit since the day he had been found. Instead, he had simply 'borrowed' the claws. It was an easy task, finding the grounds Longtail and Mousefur had used to burry Daisy's body. Lucky for him, Mousefur was getting old and could not travel far from camp for the death ceremony, and had not the strength to dig a deep enough grave for the bulky she-cat. And, to add to Larchkit's delight, Firestar and Squirrelflight's bodies were not far away from Daisy's grave. Their bodies were recently fresh, meaning that their claws and teeth were still intact, though slowly decaying as they were. He had done this all the night before, working endlessly to pull the mucky fangs and claws from the dead bodies, just for the pure enjoyment of watching Whitewing and the others squeal. Justice, for Larchkit at least, was a sweet mouse to be served fresh.

Cats were now hovering over Whitewing, gawking at her and her mewling kit with distress radiating off their bristling pelts. Brightcloud dashed over to her daughter, quickly licking her ears as Brichfall rubbed against her side worriedly. Larchkit wailed pitifully, pretending to be attacked by some demonic force and dying in the mouth of his mother. It served them all right if they thought he was to die. It would only make his world all the more enjoyable; knowing that if he couldn't truly go to the world beyond, at least he'd be buried and never bothered again. Maybe Petalpaw would be so destroyed by his death, she'd go and kill herself with grief. Ah, but if only the world worked so well. Larchkit could see Petalpaw out of the corner of his eye, and saw only disgust and envy glowing in her pale green eyes. She was jealous! Of all emotions she could muster, _that_ was what was burning in her throat? Larchkit curled his lip, abhorrence bubbling in his own unbeating heart. Silently he hoped he _would_ die, just to be away from his sister's sickening hatred, but he knew that was no longer possible for him. StarClan had abandoned him, and he was victim to the ways of the mortals now.

"Whitewing! What happened?" The commanding voice of Bramblestar echoed across the clearing as he leaped forth with burning amber eyes. The brown tabby worked his way past the murmuring crowd to where Whitewing now lay trembling, Larchkit cuddled close to her chest. Larchkit tried his best to wail convincingly and force tears out of his eyes, yet he had never known the emotion of true sadness, and nothing could cause one tear to burst from his lids. None the less, cats sang their concerns, digging their noses into Whtiewing's pelt or whispering worriedly to one another. They were buying his act. Whitewing looked up at Bramblestar with wide green eyes, terror sparkling in every corner of her gaze. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, only another heartbreaking wail that sent the fur of ThunderClan rippling like ocean waves. Larchkit saw Dustpelt and Mousefoot eagerly push past Whitewing and the others, slipping into the den with tails lashing behind them. Larchkit smiled inwardly when he heard their surprised gasp and saw Dustpelt's broad head rear out of the grassy den, a long fang dripping from his jaws.

"Bramblestar!" He shouted to his leader, Mousefoot pulling up beside him with the rest of the gory claws in his mouth. The dusky tom dropped the rotten claws at Bramblestar's feet as Dustpelt crinkled his nose, spiting out his own decaying fang. "Smell them." Bramblestar wearily bent down to sniff them, eyes slowly growing larger as he did so. "Squirrelflight...Firestar...Daisy..." He muttered the names of their owners solemnly, his amber eyes flickering like flames. The clatter of the murmuring cats grew louder, ringing off the walls of camp like the loud shrieks of bats.

"It's an sign from StarClan!" Honeyblaze swooned, bright eyes like blazing stars.  
"Our attackers are watching us! They will strike again!" Sorreltail hissed fearfully.  
"They will return for Whitewing and that _kit_, surely!" Spiderleg hollered, black pelt melting in the shadows as he snarled at the cowering mother and kit.  
Cloudtail's blue eyes flashed. "How _dare_ you make such a threat to _my_ daughter!" He snarled.  
"Face it, old tom, the intruders were circling around Whitewing for the entire battle!" Mistpaw sneered, extending her claws.  
"It's her that they want!"  
"Sacrifice her!"  
"It's better then facing Them again! Please sacrifice her!"  
"Why you spineless traitors! I'll-!"  
Cloudtail's furious yowl was cut short by Bramblestar's loud yowl of authority. "Silence! No cat will sacrifice _anyone_! We have no idea how these claws came here, and I wont have my cats killing each other over a few mindless superstitions." With a flick of his tail all of ThunderClan was hypnotized by the powerful leader's glowing gaze and all dipped their heads shamefully. All but Berrytail, who still jeered with snapping fangs and lashing claws.

"Why do we ignore what has happened to us just because our _noble_ leader says we should?! We all saw what those intruders did! They _murdered_ my mother!" The creamy tom's thundering voice shook the earth as he ranted. Soon others followed, each screaming their own grievance.  
Ferncloud curled her tail around Mudpaw and Tanglepaw protectively. "They mauled by kits! Beetlepaw still can't stalk correctly without scquealing in pain!" She wailed hoplessly.  
Exhilarated, Petalpaw stood up for the charge. "They tore off Glowingpaw's leg like a rat tail!" She added, resting her tail-tip on her shivering sister's shoulder.

A steady rhythm of howls now rippled across the camp, each one bombarding Bramblestar with past crimes and demanding justice and answers. All of ThunderClan was scared and confused, without any cat to turn to for guidance. This display of chaos was certainly not what Larchkit had expected, but it worked all the same to tickle his blissful fancies. Bramblestar raised his voice once more, leaping up onto his craggy throne with furious authority. "Enough!" He snapped, adverting his gaze to the medicine cat's den quickly. "Leafpool, Jayfeather, have either of you had any visions from StarClan?"  
"None, Bramblestar." Leafpool confessed, dipping her head slowly with a hopeful glance to Jayfeather. The blind tabby shook his head, a distressed feel radiating off of his pelt. The cats shivered. Jayfeather always had visions form StarClan, whether their ancestors wanted him to or not. He even knew the distress of cats from other Clans! How could he not know the cause of this ominous sign?

Bramblestar curled his lip, returning to his Clan. "Then we have no proof of an omen." He announced. "Some cat must've placed the claws there. StarClan did not just dig up our Clan mate's graves and set them in our nursery themselves. Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Mousefoot and Sorreltail will search for scents. And until we find proof that foreign cats are still in our territory, I do not want to hear _one_ word about the intruders, _understand_?!" Again the camp fell silent at Bramblestar's raging words that still echoed on the trees of the forest painfully. When all had finally bowed their heads submissively, Bramblestar continued, relaxing the fur on his neck. "Now, there is something I have put off long enough." He began again in a softer tone, like the tone of a father after his stern scoldings. "Whitewing, are you ready to give up your last kit for the ranks of ThunderClan?" The question scent trills running up both Larchkit's and Whtiewing's spines. Whitewing dipped his head slowly after a long pause, licking the ends of Larchkit's ruffled pelt hastily as Bramblestar returned to ThunderClan.

"By naming new apprentices we show the other Clans that we are not weakened by our current deaths, and I gladly name one tonight. Larchkit, please step forward." Larchkit pricked his ears, feeling Whitewing's smothering grip loosen with one final lick to his filthy, matted pelt. Reluctantly Larchkit rose to his paws, stifling the last wails of his pitiful fatigue. Larchkit padded forward, not knowing whether he should feel gratitude or loathing toward the tabby leader. Who could've guessed that one simple prank could lead to so much good for him? He smirked under his bowed head; he should've faked a sign like this long ago. As Larchkit pondered on the thought, he couldn't help but notice the snarling faces and piercing glares of his Clan mates. So what Petalpaw said was true. All of the Clan hated him because of their misunderstanding. They had no idea who or what Larchkit was, and this new sign only added salt to their open wounds. Larchkit, again, felt triumphant.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes as the gray kit bowed his head before him. "Larchkit, until you have earned your warrior name, you shall be known as Larchpaw. StarClan grant you strength." Larchkit suppressed a laugh as Bramblestar ended with his pointless prayer. StarClan no longer cared for the Clans. They were doomed to the fate of the tigerclaw, and no amount of their ungodly strength could save them now. Glaring up past hollow eyes, Larchpaw watched as Bramblestar scanned the clearing for suitable mentor.

"Berrytail, since you have shown such concern for ThunderClan's future, I believe you are ready to train your first apprentice. Do you accept Larchpaw?" Bramblestar's words stung like wasps as he glared at the cream warrior. Larchpaw knew that he was testing the younger warrior and his will power. Any cat could easily tell that Berrytail would gladly kill Larchpaw in order to avenge Daisy's death, but would he do it if Bramblestar handed him the opportunity on a silver plater? Larcpaw sighed inwardly. If Bramblestar hoped on catching a murderer in order to give his Clan justice, he'd have to wait a long time. Even if he'd forever be the size of a large rat, Berrytail would never be able to kill Larchpaw, even if he had the guts to.

After a long silence Berrytail dipped his head, padding up to touch noses with his new apprentice. Larchpaw reach up to Berrytail with little excitement, his eyes as dead as stones. As soon as their noses touched, the Clan slowly began to chant Larcpaw's new name. "Larchpaw, Larchpaw, Larchpaw." The chant danced in the night air like a haunting melody of death. No cat was truly happy for him, and Larchpaw could tell. Larchpaw narrowed his eyes on Berrytail, sending a visible shock through his spine. Larchpaw smirked darkly at the creamy tom, flicking his tail slowly.  
"We all die someday, Berrytail..._Don't be scared_."

---

Yay! Good news time! I'm going to be doing....-drum roll- READER CHALLENGES!!! Yes, your very own chance to be a part of the story! If you win my update challenges, I'll include one of your very own OCs as either a part of Tigerstar's army or as a cat at the next gathering!.....or....something...EITHER WAY YOU WIN! :D ((P.S.: Please dun flame me for this. I'm fresh out of ideas for cats and I think an interactive story is cool and fun to update....))

This Update's challenge:  
Write a one-shooter between any two characters features in Wake the Dead! :3 -is shot by readers- I know, not a very creative challenge but a challenge none-the-less! GO!...if you want....Maybe....-sits on broken chair and waits-

**=~+_-HAPPY EASTERRRRR-_+~=**


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